LOADRUNNER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Transcription

1 LOADRUNNER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why should we automate the performance testing? It s a discipline that leverages products, people and processes to reduce the risk of application upgrade or patch deployment. It is about applying production workloads to pre-deployment systems while simultaneously measuring system performance and end-user experience. 2. What are all the things will be considered while doing performance testing? Does the application respond quickly enough for the intended users? Will the application handle the expected user load and beyond? Will the application handle the number of transactions required by the business? Is the application stable under expected and unexpected user loads? Are we sure that users will have a positive experience on go-live day? 3. What are the LoadRunner components? Virtual User Generator Controller Load Generators Analysis 4. What is the LoadRunner testing process? Plan load test Create Vuser Scripts Define Scenario Run Scenario Analyze results 5. What is remote command launcher? The remote command launcher enables the controller to start applications on the host machine 6. How you develop the database vuser script? Developing the database vuser script either by recording with load runner vuser script generator or by using load runner vuser script template. 7. How you load a load runner Agent? While running the scenario loadrunner controller instructs the remote agent dispatcher to launch loadrunner agent. The controller instructs the loadrunner agent to initialize, run, pause and stop the vusers. 8. What is the difference between hits/second and requests/second? Hits per second means the number of hits the server receives in one second from the vuser and the request per second is the no. of request the vuser will request from the server. 9. What are the reasons why parameterization is necessary when load testing the Web server and the database server? Parameterization is useful for performance scripts for various reasons: - We can use different data in scripts dynamically. When URLs of AUT are parameterized, it becomes easy for the script to point to different application environments, i.e. Dev, QA or Prod depending upon the requirements. Parameterizing helps in emulation real scenario as it avoids caching effect, if we send same data again and again while running scripts in iteration, then the data could be used from cache or from the temporary table from the database. Now if we send different data in each iteration the real performance transaction timers can be measured. 1

2 10. What are the advantages of using load runner? Advantages are:- With help of vusers reduces the human users Reduces the requirement of the systems Helps in the better usage of time and money Effective utilization of automation Everything done from a single point 11. What is the vuser in the scenario? The vuser is virtual users nothing but those who simulate the real users. The virtual users who take the place of real users operating client software, such as IE sending requests using the HTTP protocol to IIS or Apache web servers 12. What is the difference between stop and gradually stop? When you want to stop all the Vusers at once, this is called stop the Vusers at once. It is done in the scenario schedule section of the controller window. Suppose you want to stop the Vusers gradually, then you have to set the Vusers stop gradually. It is done in the scenario schedule section panel of controller window in loadrunner. 13. Explain the Load testing process? Step 1: Planning the test. Here, we develop a clearly defined test plan to ensure the test scenarios we develop will accomplish load-testing objectives. Step 2: Creating Vusers. Here, we create Vuser scripts that contain tasks performed by each Vuser, tasks performed by Vusers as a whole, and tasks measured as transactions. Step 3: Creating the scenario. A scenario describes the events that occur during a testing session. It includes a list of machines, scripts, and Vusers that run during the scenario. We create scenarios using LoadRunner Controller. We can create manual scenarios as well as goal-oriented scenarios. In manual scenarios, we define the number of Vusers, the load generator machines, and percentage of Vusers to be assigned to each script. For web tests, we may create a goal-oriented scenario where we define the goal that our test has to achieve. LoadRunner automatically builds a scenario for us. Step 4: Running the scenario. We emulate load on the server by instructing multiple Vusers to perform tasks simultaneously. Before the testing, we set the scenario configuration and scheduling. We can run the entire scenario, Vuser groups, or individual Vusers. Step 5: Monitoring the scenario. We monitor scenario execution using the LoadRunner online runtime, transaction, system resource, Web resource, Web server resource, Web application server resource, database server resource, network delay, streaming media resource, firewall server resource, ERP server resource, and Java performance monitors. Step 6: Analyzing test results. During scenario execution, LoadRunner records the performance of the application under different loads. We use LoadRunner s graphs and reports to analyze the application s performance. 14. What Component of LoadRunner would you use to record a Script? The Virtual User Generator (VuGen) component is used to record a script. It enables you to develop Vuser scripts for a variety of application types and communication protocols. 15. What Component of LoadRunner would you use to play Back the script in multi user mode? The Controller component is used to playback the script in multi-user mode. This is done during a scenario run where a vuser script is executed by a number of vusers in a group. 16. What is a rendezvous point? You insert rendezvous points into Vuser scripts to emulate heavy user load on the server. Rendezvous points instruct Vusers to wait during test execution for multiple Vusers to arrive at a certain point, in order that they may simultaneously perform a task. For example, to emulate peak load on the bank server, you can insert a rendezvous point instructing 100 Vusers to deposit cash into their accounts at the same time. 2

3 17. What is a scenario? A scenario defines the events that occur during each testing session. For example, a scenario defines and controls the number of users to emulate, the actions to be performed, and the machines on which the virtual users run their emulations. 18. How can a LoadRunner script be debugged? Breakpoints and the Run Step-by-Step features of VuGen can be used for debugging and this information is written in the output window. There are debug settings in the Options area that allow the user to set the specifics about the trace that is performed during the execution of the scenario. 19. How does one write a user defined function in LoadRunner? When creating a user-defined function, one must first create the external library that contains the function. This library must then be added to the bin directory of VuGen. Next, the user-defined function can be assigned as a parameter 20. Which function is used to capture dynamic data in the web Vuser script? Web_reg_save_param is the function that saves dynamic data to a parameter. 21. What are the changes that can be made to run-time settings? There are four run-time settings that can be made: Pacing: This contains iteration count. Log: This is where logging can be set to standard or disabled. Think Time: Capable of setting think time to be ignored or replayed. General: Allows the setting of Vusers for processes or multithreading. 22. How can web server related issues be found? Web resource monitors can be used to find server related issues. These monitors are capable of analyzing web server throughput, volume of hits per second during the execution of the scenario, the number of pages downloaded per second, and the volume of responses per second. 23. How can database related issues be found? Monitors and the Data Resource Graph can be used to find database related issues. LoadRunner allow the tester to specify the resource that is to be measured before the controller is run. 24. What are the types of options are available for goal-oriented scenarios? There are five goal options available: Number of Vusers (concurrent) Number of transactions/second Number of hits/second Number of pages/minute Transaction response time 25. How many types of graphs are available in LoadRunner and what are they? There are 4 types of graphs: Network delay time graph displays the time the elapses between request and response Two transaction response time graphs one for load and one for percentile Hits/second graph Shows application traffic volume. Pages download/second graph shows the rate that download processes are performed 26. How can performance bottlenecks be identified? LoadRunner has monitors that can be used to detect performance bottlenecks. These include network, web server, application server, and database server monitors. These monitors can be used to locate trouble spots in scenarios that cause increases response time and they track throughput, network delays, performance response time, hits/sec, etc. 27. How can one tell when correlation can be performed? There are two ways to do this. One is to use the scan function to search for correlations and select a value from the resulting list. The second is to record a pair of scripts and then compare them to each other. 3

4 28. Where are automatic correlation options set? The automatic correlation is set in recording options area on the correlation tab. From here, correlation can be enabled for the full script and rules for correlation can be defined. Automatic correlation can be performed on a database by viewing the output window, scanning for correlation, and selecting the value that will be used. 29. Where is the number of iterations set for testing with Vuser scripts? The number of iterations is set in the VuGen pacing tab in the Run-time settings area. 30. What is ramp up and how can it be set? Ramp up is gradually increasing the load on a server. This is simulated by gradually increasing the number of Vusers. This feature can be found in the Scenario Scheduling Options. When used, the initial value and the time to wait between periods are specified. 31. What is the benefit of running a Vuser script as a thread? The advantage of running a Vuser script as a thread is that it allows more Vusers to be used for one load generator. Running Vuser scripts as processes utilizes a lot of memory because all of the loaded scripts use the same driver. This limits the number of Vuser scripts that can be run on one generator. 32. How do you set LoadRunner to stop script execution when an error occurs? Execution of Vuser scripts can be stopped on error using LoadRunner s lr_abort function. The Continue on error option must not be checked in the Run-Time Setting menu. It is helpful when it is necessary to abort execution when a certain error condition occurs. This function instructs the Vuser to stop performing what is in the Actions section, and to begin performing the vuser_end functions. When execution is terminated, the Vuser status is changed to Stopped. 33. How are throughput and response time related? The graph for throughput displays the quantity of data that the server sent to the Vusers in one second. When throughput is compared to the response time of transaction, it decreased as the response time decreased. In addition to this, the highest throughput and response times occur at approximately the same time. 34. Define think time and explain how you change the threshold for it. Think time is the interval of time that a user must wait between actions. An example of this is the time that a user takes to review data after receiving it from the server before responding to it. The threshold is the maximum level at which this time will be ignored. The default threshold value is five seconds but this can be modified in the VuGen Recording options. 35. Explain the difference between standard and extended log? The standard log contains a subset of functions and messages, which vary based on the type of Vuser, which are generated during the execution of a script. The extended log creates a more detailed listing of functions and messages. 36. How many types of Correlation are there? Correlation can be done by 3 ways: Manual Correlation ( this method is most recommended) Automatic Correlation (This requires rules need to be created in existing rule engine, this can apply only to popular and frequent dynamic values like viewstates in.net applications) Correlation Studio 37. How you will do the manual Correlation? Record two identical scripts with the same business process, make sure to use same input data like user names and search strings Compare the scripts to identify the dynamic value, you can compare them using notepad or keeping side by side or using windiff or any text comparison tools. the mainly you have to look at ITEMDATA section and URL ending part. Once you identified which value is changing every time Search for the dynamic values in the Generation log and Copy Left boundary (LB) and Right boundary (RB) into notepad 4

5 Replay the script with extended log and look for those boundaries in replay log and Double click in the replay log where the boundaries are found and it will take the cursor to the point where dynamic value is generating in the recorded script. This step is to identify from which request this value is generating and this will help us to identify the location to keep web_reg_save_param function. Insert web_reg_save_param("param name", "LB=", "RB=", LAST) ; where the cursor is pointing Replace the dynamic values with Param name 38. How you will do the parameterization for Date/Time? Select the parameter type as Date/Time and select the date/time format in the list. If you want u can get the date in the script by using "lr_save_datetime("tomorrow is %B %d %Y", DATE_NOW + ONE_DAY, "next"); " 39. How many areas you can do the correlation? Areas of correlation are: ItemData TimeStamp Links Check Boxes List Buttons Radio Buttons 40.What is the function used for to find out the buffer size of file? First of all we have to know the application type for this question. If it is web application we dont need to go for buffer size bcoz most of the functions are inbuilt with the buffer element. If we go for windows sockets application the function is mentioned below: char *lrs_get_static_buffer( char *s_desc, char *buffer, int offset, int length, char *encoding ); 41. What is the difference between Hits/secs & Throughput? Hits Per Second: This graph shows the number of HTTP requests made by Vusers to the Webserver during each second of the load test scenario run. Throughput: This graph shows the amount of throughput on the server during each second of the load test scenario run. Throughput is measured in bytes or megabytes and represents the amount of data that the Vusers received from the server at any given second. 42. How graph will be there between Hits/secs & Throughput? Hits per second is directly propositional to through put If the Hits/secs increases throughput should also increase If the Hits/sec decreases throughput should also decrease 43. If suppose we are executing a scenario with 10 vusers and a value is parameterized (Say ex: Sales Id with 10values), how can i know that what is the value of 5th vuser sales id? The question is having little information to answer; Question should also have which parameter properties this scenario is using. Let us go with some examples. If the setting is sales id picked Sequential and update for each iteration. In the first iteration all the users will use first value, so the answer is 5th iteration. If it is Unique the 5th sales ids will the 5th user will take. To find 5th vuser value we have to know first what we have give the parameter properties. If we take sequential-->each iteration then in parameter values 5th value is 5th vuser value and if we take unique also same value and if we take random we have to check in the log file of LRR folder. 44. What is the purpose of the Unique value? Assigns a unique sequential value to the parameter for each Vuser. Ensure that there is enough data in the table for all Vusers and their iterations. If you have 25 Vusers and you want to perform 4 iterations, your table must contain at least 100 unique values. If you run out of unique values, VuGen behaves according to the option you select in the When runs out of values field. In real life applications, in lot of situations application will not accept duplicate values like order number, registration functionality. 5

6 45. In controller, when I am executing the scenario with 10vusers, among 10vusers 1 is failed then how you will find out who is the exact user? First of all enable the ip spoofing and insert "lr_get_vuser_ip()" then execute the scenario and take the log files saved in result directory (.LRR extension) and find the failed user transaction then we can find vuser ip which is failed. 46. Is there any function in lr to avoid multiple login's if a user already logged in? There is no function to avoid multiple logins. In case if we have to avoid multiple login based on our application then we have to write our own code in "C" language. 47.In controller I am executing a scenario with 2Vusers and a value is parameterized ( Say ex: Sales with 10values). So, whether it is possible to assign for each users 5 values? If yes how? Go to parameter properties Select Next Row: Unique Update each value on: Each occurrence Then automatically radio button " Allocate values for each vuser" will be enabled 6