Computer Performance Tuning
As with other LoadRunner modules, Mercury Tuning uses a separate VuGen program to create scripts. Those scripts are run by another program as part of a workflow of steps within Tuning Sessions. A third “analysis” program analyzes results from tuning sessions.
New Tuning Session step files (file extension .prs) are created from a template of steps called “cartridges” (file extension .__). Below is my custom cartridge file, adapted from the “J2EEBreakdownCartridge” that comes with the product. This file should reside in your folder “C:\Program Files\Mercury\LoadRunner\Tuning Cartridges”.
My session steps include tasks for capacity modeling
My Step Based on Details 1. Setup_Environment 1.1 Create a Topology graph of the hierarchy of routers, servers, and other system elements [Moved up from their cartridge location] This is stored in a file suffixed with .tpl. 1.2 Define the logical name, host name, OS, Product, and Version of each element on the typology. + The IP address(es) of each element is noted in the Comment section for each element. 1.2 + Procure facilities, furniture, hardware, and software. 1.3 + Install OS, utilities, database, and app software on machines. 1.4 Install Mercury tuning agents and monitors (rstatd) on each host. 1.5 Install Database client and connect it to the Database server. 1.6 Collect settings from servers into the Tuning Console’s “System Configuration” tab. 2.1 Network_Health_Check measures and remembers the number of hops and latency using tracert between tuning agents on system components. 2.2 Bandwidth_Test measures the data throughput required to download files of known sizes using script “http_downstream_bandwidth” provided run for 20 vusers. 2.3 Network_Diagnosis 2.4 SSL_Test 3. Setup_ J2EE_ Transaction_ Breakdown_ Diagnostics 3.1 Install MSXML (Microsoft Core XML Services 6.0) downloaded from Microsoft for Mercury’s J2EE Transaction Breakdown Diagnostics Module. 3.2 Install Mercury’s J2EE Diagnostic Mediator, activate it, and connect client to it. 4. Database_Server_Diagnostics SQL_Profiling – 4.1 5. System_Validation – 5.1 + Create a shell/command script to stop and start all services, plus identify system information (disk space, etc.) before runs. 5.2 + Create a shell/command script to collect test run results. 6. System_Snapshot – 6.1 Create a load-testing script to log in users and initiate a new user session. 6.2 Create a load-testing script to emulate user tranactions. 6.3 Debug configuration settings. 6.4 Run a single user to capture monitoring information that identifies behavior under no load, such as “spikes” during 2-3 hour runs. 7. [Max_]Benchmark Use the load-testing script to 7.1 Identify the optimal number of vusers (load factors) while response time is adequate and no errors occur. 7.2 Identify the maximum number of vusers (load factors) when errors occur, response time becomes too slow, or (most commonly) processing rate declines. 7.3 Resolve transaction failures and errors 7.4 Resolve performance issues 8. [Peak_]Benchmark previously identified to 8.1 Ramp-up to optimal load factor 8.2 Archive (backup) script and run files so it can be used later as the benchmark to compare the impact of changes to the system configuration (to determine if there was an improvement in performance). 9. Scan_Log_Files – Identify trends and errors using tuning agents reading server logs generated during test runs. Troubleshoot: 10.01 Transaction_Failure_Diagnostics 10.02 Performance_Diagnostics 10.03 Slow_Response_Diagnostics 10.04 Transaction Response Time Diagnostics 10.05 Sychronization Diagnostics evaluates threads holding locks. 10.06 Network_Load_Balancer 10.10 Application_Server_Diagnostics 10.11 Application_Server_CPU_Diagnostics 10.12 Application_Server_Memory_Diagnostics 10.13 Memory_Leaks_Diagnostics 10.14 Application_Server_IO_Diagnostics 10.15 JVM_Diagnostics 10.16 Network_Diagnostics 11.1 Scan_Recommended_Values Optimize applications by using tuning agents to compare actual settings against recommended settings. The recommendations from the Mercury Knowledge Base “according to vendor documentation” and can be customized and exported as part of the tuning cartridge. 12.1 Application_Tuning 12.2 Server_Tuning 12.3 EJB_Unit_Tuning 12.4 Servlet_Tuning 12.5 JDBC_Optimization 13. Generate_Report Create the tuning session summary report (in MS-Word format) using the Tuning Console’s Session Report feature. – 14. + Compare_Reports – Create reports that compare tuning sessions.
“Progress Dashboard” The Tuning Console tracks Each time you run this step, an entry is added to the progress dashboard to help you achieve your goals.
The Tuning Console lists all the logs and their properties for each host and service. You can also scan the logs for errors according to predefined rules. You can also define your own rules and export them as part of a cartridge (please refer to the product documentation). Note: 1. Before you can scan logs, you need to install and run tuning agents on the servers where the log files are situated. 2. The log scan step is available only for the services that are handled by the tuning agents. In other words, if the tuning agent cannot handle a particular service, the service’s log file cannot be scanned, even if the server itself is running a tuning agent. 3. It is not recommended to scan large logs (>1MB), as this is time- and resource-consuming.
Server configuration tab. After you define the environment in the Topology window, the Console attempts to connect to the tuning agent running on each host in the topology. If a tuning agent has not been installed, or has been installed but not started, the attempt will fail. Make sure that the Console can connect to the tuning agents on the host machines. For details, see the section on tuning in the documentation.
Mercury’s Performance Tuning Network at tuning.merc-int.com is not operational. I filed a bug report on this July 06.
lr8.lrtun81.notconcurrent.bmp
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