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Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts in Rational® Performance Tester and enhances tests by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points. This guide is intended for testers.
Creating tests
To create a test, you record representative interactions with an application.
Kerberos overview
You can run HTTP tests against servers that use the Kerberos protocol for authentication.
Generating tests that use Kerberos
You must supply your Kerberos user name and password when generating tests that use Kerberos.

Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts in Rational® Performance Tester and enhances tests by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points. This guide is intended for testers.
- Creating tests
  To create a test, you record representative interactions with an application.
  - Performance testing tips
    Use these tips to make IBM® Rational® Performance Tester run faster and more efficiently. These tips do not apply to IBM Rational Service Tester for SOA Quality.
  - Creating a project
    The tests that you create, and the assets associated with the tests, reside in a project on your desktop. You can create the project separately, or you can simply record a test, which automatically creates a project named testproj.
  - Recording HTTP tests
    When you record a test, the test creation wizard records your interactions with a web-based application, generates a test from the recording, and opens the test for editing. You can record tests from Internet Explorer (which is the default on Windows™) or from another browser.
  - Recording SAP tests
    When you record a test, the test creation wizard records your interactions with the SAP server, generates a test from the recording, and opens the test for editing. You can record tests from the SAP GUI. You can also record SAP batch input tests that can be used to produce a heavy load on the server while minimizing the processing requirements for virtual testers.
  - Recording Citrix tests
    When you record a test, the test creation wizard records your interactions with the Citrix server, generates a test from the recording, and opens the test for editing. You can record a test session in the Citrix XenApp client.
  - Recording service tests
    When you record a test, the test creation wizard records your interactions with the service, generates a test from the recording, and opens the test for editing. You can record a test session by invoking service calls with the generic service client or by using an existing client. You can also create a service test manually or from a Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) model.
  - Recording socket and TN3270 tests
    When you record a test, the test creation wizard records your interactions with the application under test, generates a test from the recording, and opens the test for editing.
  - Digital certificates overview
    The digital certificates feature enables you to run tests against servers that use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for applications that require client-side digital certificates to authenticate users.
  - Kerberos overview
    You can run HTTP tests against servers that use the Kerberos protocol for authentication.
    - Recording Kerberos applications with Internet Explorer
      You must configure your browser before you attempt to record Kerberos applications.
    - Recording Kerberos applications with Mozilla Firefox
      You must configure your browser before recording Kerberos applications.
    - Generating tests that use Kerberos
      You must supply your Kerberos user name and password when generating tests that use Kerberos.
  - Annotating a test during recording
    You can add comments, add transactions, or change a page name while you record a test. The advantage of adding these elements during (rather than after) recording is that you can place the annotations in the test exactly where you want. In addition, because annotations are part of the recorded test, they are regenerated when you regenerate the test. You can also insert split points into a test during record.
  - Recording sensitive session data
    You can keep recording session (.recsession) files to view the contents of a recording or to regenerate tests. However, if a recorded test contains sensitive information, you can choose to obfuscate, or encrypt, text strings in the recsession file.
  - Splitting a test during recording
    You can insert split points when you record a test. Split points allow you to generate multiple tests from a single recording that you can replay in a different order with a schedule.
  - Generating a new test from a recorded session
    You can generate a new test from a recorded session. For example, if you accidentally damage a test during editing, or if you want to change a test preference, you can regenerate the test instead of re-recording it. If split points were inserted in the recording, you can choose to generate a single test without split points.
  - Organizing test assets by type
    By clicking an icon, you can view your test assets in a logical order, in separate folders for tests, schedules, results, locations, and datasets.
- Editing tests
  After you record a test, you can edit it to include datasets (to provide variable data rather than the data that you recorded), verification points (to confirm that the test runs as expected), and data correlation (to ensure that returned data is appropriate for the corresponding request). You can also add protocol-specific elements to a test. When you edit a test, the modified items appear in italic type. The italic type changes to regular type after you save the test.
- Compound tests
  You can create compound tests to help you organize smaller tests into scenarios that can then be run end-to-end. You can combine tests from different extensions to achieve end-to-end flow.
- Simulating services with stubs
  Service stubs enable you to simulate the behavior of an actual service for a wide variety testing or integration purposes.
- Sending service requests with the generic service client
  The generic service client enables you to send requests to services for which you do not have a convenient client and to view the responses returned by the service.
- Emulating workloads
  You emulate a workload by creating a schedule and adding user groups/rate runner groups, tests, and other elements to it.

Generating tests that use Kerberos

You must supply your Kerberos user name and password when generating tests that use Kerberos.

About this task

The test generation process attempts to detect if Kerberos was used when a test was recorded. If the test generation process detects that Kerberos was used when a test was recorded, you are prompted for the Kerberos credentials. The test generation process might not differentiate between Kerberos authentication and NT LAN Manager (NTLM) authentication. In that case, you are prompted for the authentication type and credentials.

Procedure

In the Kerberos window, type in the Kerberos Realm name field the Kerberos realm name that you used during recording.
If the test generation process cannot determine which type of authentication was used, the Authorization window is displayed, not the Kerberos window. In that case, click the Kerberos radio button before typing the Kerberos realm name.
In the User name field, type the user name that you used during recording.
In the Password field, type the password that you used during recording.

Results

The test generation process creates a Kerberos configuration file. The file is krb5.ini and it is stored in the root of the project workspace. This file is required to play back Kerberos tests. Typically, you need to ensure that the workbench computer that you use to record the test is in the same Kerberos realm as the agent computers that you use to play back the test. Advanced users and security administrators can edit this file with a text editor to tailor it to a specific test environment.