Handling many RunTests instances

When you start a number of stubs with HCL OneTest™ Virtualization, you see that many RunTests instances are running and the amount of available system memory is reduced.

About this task

When you start a stub, HCL OneTest™ API Agent downloads a copy of the project from HCL Quality Server and starts a RunTests instance to run it. HCL Quality Server attempts to use an instance of RunTests that is already running in the selected domain/environment, if possible. Each instance of RunTests can run only one version of a project in one environment.

For example, suppose that you start version 2.0 of stub X from project A in environment Test and you have one instance of RunTests running. Next, you start more stubs. You can see what happens when each stub starts.
Action Result
You start version 2.0 of stub Y from project A in environment Test. The existing RunTests instance is used as the stub version is already loaded for this environment.
You start version 3.0 of stub Y from project A in environment Test. A new RunTests instance is started as this stub is a different version from the one already loaded.
You start stub Y from project A in environment UAT. A new RunTests instance is started as this environment is new.
You start stub Y from project B in any environment. A new RunTests instance is started as this project was not loaded for this environment.

You can view the RunTests instances and stop them.

Procedure

To view the current running status of RunTests instances in HCL Quality Server:

  1. Log in to HCL Quality Server.

    The application window is displayed.

  2. Click the Infrastucture icon or navigation link.

    The Infrastructure Dashboard is displayed with all registered agents.

  3. Expand the relevant agent and click the Engines tab to view the details of the engines.

    A RunTests instance remains running after the stub was stopped. This behavior means a quicker start the next time that you start a stub for a project that is already loaded.

    Tip: To stop all running stubs click the Stop Stubs icon to stop the stubs and close all RunTests instances that are not running scheduled tests. This action affects all stubs and RunTests instances in the selected domain/environment.
    Notes:
    • Unused RunTests instances are reused. For example, if no stubs are running on a RunTests instance, when you start a new stub, it uses the empty RunTests instance. If the project settings are different, the old project is unloaded and the new project is loaded.
    • Extra RunTests instances are started when you run scheduled tests from the HCL OneTest™ API Agent and when you run tests from IBM® Rational® Quality Manager. These instances stop when the test run completes.