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Installing Application Performance Explorer

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To use this release of Application Performance Explorer (APE), you should read each of the following topics to determine which are required for your APE installation.

  • Installing Microsoft® Transaction Server

  • Installing Microsoft® SQL Server™ with Service Pack 3

  • Configuring DCOM Access Permissions Using DCOMCNFG

  • Configuring RA Access Permissions Using RACMGR32

Installing Microsoft Transaction Server

You must install Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) separately on all server machines. This includes standalone workstation configurations where all of APE runs on a single machine. APE MTS scenarios will not run without installing MTS.

After installing MTS and APE, you must install the APE MTS package on each server machine.

To install the APE MTS package on each server machine

  1. From the Start menu, point to Programs, Windows NT 4 Option Pack, Microsoft Transaction Server, and then click Transaction Server Explorer.

  2. In the left pane, expand the Microsoft Transaction Server folder, the Computers folder, and the MyComputer folder. Right-click the Packages Installed folder, point to New, and then click Package.

  3. In the Package Wizard dialog box, click Install pre-built packages.

  4. In the Select Package Files dialog box, click Add.

  5. In the Install from Package File dialog box, browse to Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Tools\Ape\Aemtssvc.pak, and then click Open.

  6. In the Select Package Files dialog box, click Next.

  7. In the Set Package Identity dialog box, click Next.

  8. In the Installation Options dialog box, click Finish.

Installing Microsoft SQL Server with Service Pack 3

If you want to test the performance of MTS scenarios that include Microsoft SQL Server, you must install Microsoft® SQL Server 6.5™ and Microsoft SQL Server Service Pack 3.

To install Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 with Service Pack 3

  1. Run the Microsoft® Visual Studio™ Installation Wizard.

  2. Click Server Applications and Tools (Add Only), and then click Next.

  3. Click Launch BackOffice Installation Wizard, and then click Install.

  4. In the BackOffice Business Solutions dialog box, click Custom, and then click Next.

  5. In the Disk Space Requirements dialog box, click Next.

  6. In the BackOffice Programs and Their Components dialog box, in the BackOffice Programs list, click SQL Server Developer Edition 6.5, clear check boxes for the other selections, and then click Next.

  7. In the Administrator and Service Accounts for BackOffice Programs dialog box, click Assign Accounts to create at least one SQL Server system administrator account name and password, and then click Next.

  8. In the Your BackOffice Installation dialog box, click Next and then follow the remaining instructions to install SQL Server 6.5.

Note   This installation of SQL Server 6.5 includes Service Pack 3. You do not need to run a separate Service Pack 3 installation process.

Configuring Access Permissions Using DCOMCNFG

Note   This topic applies to your APE installation only if you plan to use DCOM in your APE tests.

APE can use remote machines to offload service tasks during distributed performance tests. This situation occurs when you test with the following options.

  • The Use Remote Application Server check box is selected in the Application Service Connection Options dialog box.

  • A valid machine name is provided in the Server Name field.

  • APE server components have been set up on the named server.

  • A valid user has logged on to Microsoft® Windows NT® at the named machine.

Before APE can successfully use remote machines in distributed performance tests, you must use the DCOMCNFG utility to configure appropriate access permissions for each of the following APE machine configurations.

  • APE Service Manager machine (the main server machine that will host the Queue and Pool Managers).

  • APE Client Manager machine (the machine that the main APE Control Panel UI runs on).

  • APE Remote Client machine (client machines other than the APE Client Manager machine).

  • APE Remote Worker machine (worker machines other than the APE Service Manager machine).

Note   These four APE machine configurations do not necessarily require four separate machines. You could use just two machines.

For each of the preceding machine configurations, you use DCOMCNFG to perform the following simple steps.

  1. Start the DCOMCNFG utility.

  2. Select the machine configuration (APE Service Manager, APE Client Manager, APE Remote Client, or APE Remote Worker) from within the DCOMCNFG application list.

  3. Click the Default Properties tab.

  4. Select the Enable Distributed COM on this computer check box.

  5. In the Default Authentication Level list, select None.

  6. In the Default Impersonation Level list, select Identity.

  7. Define access and launch permissions for each user of this service.

Note   Each logged-on user of each service that will connect to the APE clients or services must have permission to access all APE components. To define these permissions, use the procedure "To define component access and launch permissions" at the end of this topic.

  1. Click the Applications tab.

  2. In the Applications list, select Ape Worker.

  3. Click Properties.

  4. In the Application Properties dialog box, click the Identity tab.

  5. Click The interactive user.

  6. Click OK.

  7. Select Ape Worker Provider and repeat Steps 10 through 13.

  8. Select Ape Queue Manager and repeat Steps 10 through 13.

  9. Select Ape Pool Manager and repeat Steps 10 through 13.

  10. Select Ape Logger and repeat Steps 10 through 13.

  11. Select Ape Server Manager and repeat Steps 10 through 13.

To define component access and launch permissions

  1. Click the Default Security tab.

  2. Under Default Access Permissions, click Edit Default.

  3. In the Registry Value Permissions dialog box, in the Name list, add each user name that will have access permissions for the APE Service Manager machine.

  4. In the Type of Access list, select Allow Access for each user permitted to access components.

  5. Under Default Launch Permissions, click Edit Default.

  6. In the Registry Value Permissions dialog box, in the Name list, add each user name that will have launch permissions for the APE Service Manager machine.

  7. In the Type of Access list, select Allow Launch for each user permitted to launch components.

Configure RA Access Permissions Using RACMGR32

After installing APE server components, you need to enable Remote Automation (RA) by completing the following.

  • Setting System Security Policy

  • Starting the Automation Manager

Setting System Security Policy

You must run the RA Connection Manager utility on each machine that will participate in your APE tests, and set the System Security Policy option to Allow All Remote Creates.

To set the System Security Policy option

  1. From the Start menu, click Run.

  2. Type Racmgr32.exe and click OK.

  3. Click the Client Access tab.

  4. Click Allow All Remote Creates.

  5. Click File and Exit.

Starting the Automation Manager

Before starting your APE test session, you must start the Automation Manager on each APE machine. Once Automation Manager is running, subsequent APE tests will run without intervention.

To start the Automation Manager

  • Browse to C:\Winnt\System32\Autmgr32.exe and double-click Autmgr32.exe.