Running Web Performance Tests
After you have recorded a Web performance test, it is a good practice to run it and verify that it works correctly. When you are sure that the recorded test can be successfully run, you can customize the test by adding validation rules, extraction rules, data binding, and so on.
Note
As you run a Web application, the application can send dynamic data in query string parameter values and form post parameter values. After you finish recording a Web performance test, you can detect whether such dynamic parameters exist, and then choose to promote some or all of them, as described in How to: Create a New Web Performance Test Using the Web Performance Test Recorder.
To verify a Web performance test, use the following process:
Run your Web performance test and examine the feedback in the two panes of the Web Performance Test Results Viewer. The top pane shows an overview of the status of individual requests, in addition to information about individual requests, transactions, and included Web performance tests. The bottom pane provides more detail on the requests and the responses to those requests.
Identify any problem requests by using the top pane of the Web Performance Test Results Viewer. You can expand any nodes to see dependent requests. Requests that failed are identified by a particular symbol, and requests that passed are identified by a different symbol. This makes it easy to find failing requests. Page redirects are displayed under the request that initiated them, and are indicated by a unique icon.
Perform a quick visual inspection of the request using the Web Browser tab in the bottom pane.
Use the Request, Response, and Details panes to examine any problems with URLs, return codes, page redirects, and dependent requests.
Problems that typically cause requests to fail include the following:
URLs called through JavaScript
ActiveX controls
Applets
These problems occur because the recorder can only record requests coming from the Web browser. If you experience any one or more of these problems, you can manually add the necessary requests to the recorded Web performance test. For more information, see About JavaScript and ActiveX Controls in Web Performance Tests.
Determining what requests must be added can be a complex task. Consider the following suggestions for troubleshooting these problems:
Using a network analysis tool such as Microsoft Network Monitor (Netmon)
Examining the Web logs for the application
Reviewing the source code of the application
For more information, see How to: Run a Web Performance Test and Web Performance Test Results Viewer Overview.
Tasks
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Run your Web performance test: Run or step through your Web performance test from the command line or by using the Web Performance Test Results Viewer. |
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Modify your Web performance test run settings: Change the run settings for your Web performance tests, for example, the number of run iterations. .gif "Note") Note
When Web performance test settings are changed in the Web Performance Test Results Viewer, the run settings apply to one Web performance test run. They do not persist when you save the test.
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Running Web performance tests with Team Build: You can add your Web performance tests to a test category. The test category can be configured so that it runs after a build has completed. |
Related Tasks
Creating and Editing Web Performance Tests
Before you can run your Web performance tests, you must first create and configure them using the Web Performance Test Editor.
Examining Web Performance Test Results Using the Web Performance Test Results Viewer
While your Web performance test is running and after it completes, you can view the results using the Web Performance Test Results Viewer.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Run a Web Performance Test
How to: Change the Web Performance Test Run Settings in the Web Performance Result Viewer
How to: Edit an Existing Web Performance Test Using the Web Performance Test Editor