Release notes for IBM Rational Performance Test Server

Product description

Rational® Performance Test Server is an automated performance testing product that includes capabilities to create and run performance tests. See __PTS_RR_NAME__ overview.

What's new

You can find information about the features introduced in this release of Rational® Performance Test Server and Rational® Integration Tester.

The following sections list the new features, enhancements, or other changes made in this release.

HCL OneTest™ Server

For information about HCL OneTest™ Server, see Release notes.
HCL Quality Server
- Tools page
  
  The list of agents changed for a release was updated. Review the Tools page of HCL Quality Server to see each tool and the version that it was last changed.
- Stubs list on the Infrastructure dashboard
  
  Now, stubs listed on the Infrastructure dashboard of HCL Quality Server are sorted in alphabetical order.
Mainframe
- IBM WebSphere MQ exit
  
  The IBM® WebSphere® MQ exit for z/OS and the IBM CICS DPL exit now display the latest version when starting. These newer exits function the same as the previous exit, and there is no need to upgrade to the newer exits.
- Technical Preview: Testing with Db2 on z/OS systems
  
  Testing with Db2 on z/OS systems is a technical preview in V10.1.0. With a new Agent for z/OS you can record and virtualize MVS batch and CICS COBOL, PL/I or Db2 programs on z/OS with HCL OneTest™ API. This technical preview is subject to change in future releases and must not be considered for use in a production environment. Your feedback is encouraged during this technical preview. For more information, see Testing with IBM Db2 on z/OS systems.
- Compiled Language Intercept Processor (CLIP)
  
  Previously, to use HCL OneTest™ API to record and virtualize Db2 on z/OS applications, you used the Compiled Language Interception Processor (CLIP) to intercept Db2 calls. CLIP is removed. Existing HCL OneTest™ API projects that rely on CLIP might no longer work. HCL OneTest™ API now supports a new Agent for z/OS. This new agent is dependent on IBM Debugger for z/OS. For more information, see Testing with IBM Db2 on z/OS systems.
- MQ transports
  
  MQ transports can now be configured to specify the model queue used when issuing MQ programmable command format (PCF) commands. For more information, see MQ Transport: Advanced settings.
- Support for IBM® App Connect Enterprise V11.0
  
  HCL OneTest™ API is enabled to support the synchronization of resources that are created on the Integration Node of IBM® App Connect Enterprise V11.0 formerly known as IBM® Integration Bus in its released versions: V9.0 and V10.0. Each supported node that exposes a service endpoint or that consumes another service endpoint is mapped to an operation in the logical model of your HCL OneTest™ API project. You can create tests and stubs for the Integration Node resources and run them in HCL OneTest™ API. You can now configure the secured communications between the Integration Node and HCL OneTest™ API when you create the connection to the Integration Node in IBM ACE (V11.0) or IIB (V10.0). For more information, see Testing with IBM Integration Bus.
- Enhanced filtering capabilities for IMS Connect transactions
  
  The IMS Connect stubbing and routing rules are enhanced in their filtering capabilities to include the values specified for Message-Type, Client ID, Datastore, and Transaction Code settings. Therefore, a more fine-grained selection of events is now possible in the stubbing and routing rules. This enhancement might affect the existing stubs and operations when deployed in V10.1.0 to capture fewer messages than in the previous versions.
  
  When recording or stubbing with IMS, the Network page in HCL Quality Server displays the Message-Type, Datastore, Client ID, and Transaction Code in the Target field that enables you to locate specific monitors and rules.
- Support for IBM® WebSphere® MQ
  
  Support for IBM® WebSphere® MQ V7.x is deprecated. Support now includes V8.x through V9.x.
Technologies
- Selecting the pattern for topics to record traffic in Kafka
  
  The selection of multiple topics to record from the Recording Studio tab for a logical Kafka Connection is changed. You can now enter each topic on a separate line, use wildcards, or patterns to specify the topics to record. For more information, see Recording Kafka transport traffic.
- Recording Istio traffic
  
  It is now possible to record the HTTP traffic within an Istio service mesh in a Kubernetes cluster. HTTP requests between the services in the service mesh and HTTP requests received and sent from the Istio service mesh can be recorded from HCL OneTest™ API. For more information, see Istio Recording.
- Database drivers
  
  Database drivers that you added to the Library Manager are now displayed while configuring a database connection. For more information, see Configuring the physical database resource.
- RQM Agent as a Windows service
  
  Now, if you have installed only HCL OneTest™ API, you can configure the RQM Agent as a Windows service. For more information, see Configuring the RQM Agent as a Windows service.
- HTTPS proxy port 3129 is deprecated
  
  Earlier, you could send the HTTPS traffic to the HTTP/TCP proxy server by using the port 3129 and the HTTP traffic by using the port 3128. The port 3129 is now deprecated. The port 3128 that earlier allowed both the HTTP and HTTPS traffic is retained as the only port for both the HTTP and HTTPS traffic. The https-proxy element in the registration.xml that was used for the HTTPS and SSL-based forwarding rules for transports such as TCP, IMS, IPIC, MQTT, or KAFKA, is now renamed to ssl-settings.
  
  The addNumbers example that is packaged with HCL OneTest™ API is now configured to use port 3128 for both HTTP and HTTPS traffic.
- Enhanced messaging actions for the Email transport
  
  You can now create tests that use the Request/Reply action when testing with the email transport. You can also configure the SMTP and IMAP mail servers for the email resources. The email transport is enhanced to support secure communications between HCL OneTest™ API and the mail servers. For more information, see Testing with the email transport.
- Support for testing with Apache Camel components
  
  You can now test the technologies that are supported by Camel V2.24.3 in HCL OneTest™ API. You must add the JAR files for the Camel component and dependent libraries to Library Manager so that HCL OneTest™ API can access that technology. You can then configure the endpoints provided by the Camel component that are in your test environment as a physical resource in the HCL OneTest™ API project. You can create tests and stubs to test and virtualize the services provided by the Camel component in HCL OneTest™ API. For more information, see Testing with Apache Camel components.
- IATA formatter
  
  The IATA formatter was deprecated and no longer appears when you create messaging actions. Existing formatters remain.
Integrations
- HCL OneTest™ API integration with Azure DevOps
  
  You can now integrate HCL OneTest™ API with Azure DevOps by using the IBM Rational Test Workbench extension to run tests as tasks in Azure DevOps pipelines. See Integration with Azure DevOps.

Deprecated capabilities

You can find information about the capabilities that are deprecated in this release and are planned for a removal in a future release.

Note: You can contact the IBM Support team if you have any concerns.

No capability is deprecated.

Removed capabilities

Support for the following operating systems or supported software that were announced in previous releases as deprecated are removed in this release:

No capability is removed.

System requirements

For information about hardware and software compatibility, go to the Software Product Compatibility Reports site and complete the on-screen instructions to generate the detailed system requirements document for your product.

Installing and upgrading

You can find information about the installation and upgrade instructions for Rational® Performance Test Server and Rational® Test Control Panel.

Installing Rational® Performance Test Server

For information about installation, see Installing Rational Performance Test Server.

Installing Rational® Test Control Panel

For information about installation, see Installation of Rational Test Control Panel.

Upgrading Rational® Performance Test Server

If you use Installation Manager, you can find the upgrade requirements in Upgrading Rational Integration Tester Agent.

Upgrading Rational® Test Control Panel

If you use Installation Manager, you can find the upgrade requirements in HCL Quality Server upgrade information and requirements.

Known issues

You can find information about the known issues identified in this release of Rational® Performance Test Server.

Table 1. Release documents - Fix list and known issues
Product	Download document	Knowledge base
Rational® Integration Tester	Release document	Knowledge articles

Known problems are documented in the download document for each product and in the form of individual technotes in the Support Knowledge Base:

The knowledge base is continually updated as problems are discovered and resolved. By searching the knowledge base, you can quickly find workarounds or solutions to problems.

Contacting IBM Rational Software Support

For contact information and guidelines or reference materials that you might need when you require support, read the IBM Support Guide.
For personalized support that includes notifications of significant upgrades, subscribe to Product notification.
Before you contact IBM Rational Software Support, you must gather the background information that you might need to describe your problem. When you describe a problem to an IBM software support specialist, be as specific as possible and include all relevant background information so that the specialist can help you solve the problem efficiently. To save time, know the answers to these questions:
- What software versions were you running when the problem occurred?
- Do you have logs, traces, or messages that are related to the problem?
- Can you reproduce the problem? If so, what steps do you take to reproduce it?
- Is there a workaround for the problem? If so, be prepared to describe the workaround.