Running Rational® Performance Tester tests on the UCD server

After you install the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester UCD plugin on the UCD server, you can create a process request that contains the test for your application, and then run the test on the UCD server.

Before you begin

You must have installed the latest version of the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester UCD plugin. See Installing the IBM Rational Performance Tester UCD plugin.

About this task

After you have installed the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester UCD plugin on the UCD server, you can either use an existing component in your project or create a new component. You can then create a component process and select the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test step to edit the step properties for the test you want to run. After selecting the agent, you can create an application. You can then create an application process for the application, and then submit the application process for a run.

Procedure

Log in to the UrbanCode Deploy (UCD) server, if you are not already logged in.
Click Components from the UCD dashboard, and then click Create Component to create a component.

Note: You can either use an existing component or create a new component.
Create a component process in the component by performing the following steps:
1. Open the component that you created.
2. Click the Processes tab from the component dashboard, and then click Create Process.
  
  The Create Process dialog box is displayed.
3. Enter the required values to create a component process and click Save.
  Note: All mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*) in the UI.
  1. Enter the process name in the Name field.
  2. Select Operational (No Version Needed) from the Process Type list.
  Note: The Default Working Directory field displays the folder path where the agent can download the artifacts and create temporary files.
  
  The process that you created is listed in the Processes list and the Design tab for the process is displayed.
  
  Note: The process opens in the process editor. The process editor lists the plugins and steps. The required Start and Finish steps represent the beginning and the end of the process and are automatically placed on the design area.
Select the process step you want to run by completing the following steps:
1. Search for the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test process step from the left design pane.
2. Select the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test process step and drag the test into the design area.
  
  The selected test is placed in between the Start and Finish steps.

Specify the properties for the selected test by performing the following steps:

Click the Edit icon .

The Edit Properties for Run an IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test dialog box of the selected test is displayed.

Specify the properties for the selected test step by following the action in the table that follows.

Note: All mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk (*) in the UI.

Field	Action required for a IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test
Name	Enter the name of the step.
Workspace	The complete path to the Eclipse workspace.
Project	The path, including the file name of the project relative to the workspace.
Test Suite Name	The path, including the file name of the test to run relative to the project.
IMShared Location	The complete path to IBMIMShared location.
Var File	The complete path to the XML file that contains the variable name and value pairs.
Config File	The complete path to a file that contains the parameters for a test or schedule run.
Results File	The name of the results file. The default result file is the test or schedule name with a time stamp appended.
Overwrite Results file	Optional. Determines whether a result file with the same name is overwritten. The default value is `true`, which means the result file can be overwritten.
Quiet	Turns off any message output from the launcher and returns to the command shell when the run or the attempt is complete.
Number of Virtual Users	For a schedule, the default value is the number of users specified in the schedule editor. For a test, the default value is one user. Overrides the default number of users, if required. This option creates a new copy of the schedule that contains the specified number of users.
VM Args	Java™ virtual machine arguments to pass in.
Dataset Override	For a test or schedule, the default value is the dataset specified in the test editor or schedule editor. Overrides the default dataset value to run if required. Note: You must use the `Dataset Override` option to replace the dataset values during a test or schedule run. You must ensure that both original and new datasets are in the same workspace and have the same column names. You must also include the path to the dataset. For example, `/project_name/ds_path/ds_filename.csv:/project_name/ds_path/new_ds_filename.csv`. You can swap multiple datasets that are saved in a different project by adding multiple paths to the dataset separated by a `semicolon (;)`. For example, `/project_name1/ds_path/ds_filename.csv:/project_name1/ds_path/new_ds_filename.csv;/project_name2/ds_path/ds_filename.csv:/project_name2/ds_path/new_ds_filename.csv`
Resource Monitoring Labels Override	For a schedule (Rate schedule or VU schedule), use Resource Monitoring Labels Override to perform any of the following actions: To enable the Resource Monitoring from Service option for a performance schedule if the Resource Monitoring from Service option is not enabled from the schedule editor in Rational® Performance Tester. To ignore Resource Monitoring sources that were set in the performance schedule and to change for a label matching mode. To replace an existing set of Resource Monitoring labels that were set in the performance schedule and run the schedule with a new set of Resource Monitoring labels. Note: You can add multiple Resource Monitoring labels separated by a `comma`. Important: You must add the Resource Monitoring labels to the Resource Monitoring sources on the Resource Monitoring page in your IBM® Rational® Test Automation Server project.
Exported HTTP Test log file	The complete path to a file to store the exported HTTP test log.
Exported Statistical Report Data File	The complete path to the directory to store exported statistical report data.
Custom Report Format Files	A comma-separated list of absolute paths to custom report format files (.view files) to use when exporting statistical report data with the -exportstats option.
User Comments	Add text within the double quotation mark to display it in the User Comments row of the report.
Field	Optional action for a IBM® Rational® Performance Tester test
Working Directory	Specify an alternative path to the working directory for this step. ^¹
Post Processing Script	Specify if you want to run any scripts after the completion of the test run. ^¹ The Step Default is selected by default. You can click New to add new scripts.
Precondition	Specify any conditions that are to be completed before the test runs. You can edit the script by clicking the script displayed. ^¹
Use Impersonation check box	Select this check box to run the test as a different user. ^¹
Auth Token Restriction	Set the authentication token actions by applying token restrictions. ^¹ The System Default is selected by default. You can add a new token restriction or edit the one already added.

Click OK to save the properties for the test.

Click Save in the design area.
Click the Resources tab from the UCD dashboard and create a resource by clicking Create Top-Level Group.

The created resource is displayed on the Resource Tree tab page.
Select the agent that runs the test by completing the following steps:

Important: You must have already installed the agent on the UCD server that you want to use.
1. Select the resource displayed on the Resource Tree tab page.
2. Click the Horizontal ellipsis icon for the selected resource.
3. Click Add Agent.
4. Select the agent to add to the resource, and then click Save.
  
  The selected agent is added to the resource in the Resource Tree pane and the status of the agent can also be viewed.
  
  Important: The agent must be Online for the test to run.
Add the component to the agent by performing the following steps:
1. Click the Horizontal ellipsis icon for the agent.
2. Click Add Component on the list.
3. Select the component to add to the resource, and then click Save.
  
  The selected component is added to the agent for the resource in the Resource Tree pane.
Create an application by completing the following steps:
1. Click the Applications tab from the UCD dashboard.
2. Click Create Application.
3. Complete the details in the Create Application dialog box, and then click Save.
  
  The Environments tab page is displayed for the created application.
4. Click Create Environment to create an environment for the application that you created.
5. Complete the details in the Create Environment dialog box, and then click Save.
  
  The environment that you created is displayed.
6. Click the environment to open, and then click Add Base Resources.
7. Select the resource from the list in the Add Resource to Environment dialog box, and then click Save to add the resource to the environment.
  
  The resource added to the environment is displayed.
  
  Note: When you add a resource to an environment, the corresponding agent and the component are displayed for the resource.
8. Click the application from the breadcrumbs.
  
  The Environments tab page is displayed for your application.
9. Add the component to the application by performing the following steps:
  1. Click the Components tab.
  2. Click Add Component.
  3. Select the component from the list in the Add a Component dialog box, and then click Save.
  The selected component is displayed on the Components tab page.
10. Create a process for the application by performing the following steps:
  1. Click the Processes tab.
  2. Click Create Process.
  3. Complete the details in the Create an Application Process dialog box, and then click Save.
  The Design tab page for the application process that you created is displayed.
11. Select the component process from the left pane and drag it into the design area.
  
  Note: You can click the Edit icon to add the properties, if required.
12. Click Save in the design area.
Select the application process to run the test by completing the following steps:
1. Click Applications from the UCD dashboard.
2. Click the application that you configured for a test run.
3. Click the Request Process icon .
  
  The Run Process on <environment name> window is displayed.
4. Select the application process that contains the test from the Process list.
5. Click Submit.
  
  The UCD dashboard shows the progress of the application process request.

Results

You have used the IBM® Rational® Performance Tester UCD plugin to integrate UCD with Rational® Performance Tester and run the test from your project on the UCD server.

After the UCD process request runs successfully, you can view the status of the completed process request displayed as follows:

Success: When the test run is successful
Failed: When the test run is failed

What to do next

You can view the details of the test run as a process from the UCD dashboard. Expand the step. You can then expand the application process. You can then hover over the process, and then click the Output Log icon . The output log is displayed. You can verify the log details.

Note: In Rational® Performance Tester, if the IBM® Rational® Test Automation Server URL is configured in Window > Preferences > Test > and Publish result after execution is set as Always in Window > Preferences > Test > > Results, then the Reports information section on the Log file displays the names of the report along with its corresponding URLs. The report URLs are the Rational® Test Automation Server URLs where the reports are stored. You can access the report URLs to view the test execution information at any point of time.

¹ You need not set this property for a step when you are running an Rational® Performance Tester test.