Working with agents

If you have a big user load or workload to test, typically a single computer might not be able to process the load efficiently. You need to distribute the load across multiple computers, also called Rational® Performance Tester agents. The agents are installed on computers to generate the load on the application.

You use the Rational Performance Tester workbench to distribute the user load. When you distribute the load among agent computers, you should remember the load each agent computer can take efficiently. For information about capacity planning, see the ../../com.ibm.rational.test.lt.install.doc/topics/ccapacityplanning.html topic.

Rational Agent Controller is used to gather data for the Response Time Breakdown feature and in support of the startup and control of web services stubs in the SOA protocol. The Load Generation Agent is used to generate load for the application under test by using the virtual users.

When installing Rational Performance Tester Agent, you can specify the hostname of the workbench to poll. After the installation, the agent automatically connects to the workbench. If you want to share the agent with multiple workbenches, you can either manually add them to the majordomo.config file located at installationDir/Majordomo or use the Share Agent with New Workbench option mentioned in the Checking status of agents topic.
Note: If you creating load on the Rational Performance Tester Agent machine, ensure that, in the workbench, you clicked Run user group at a remote location and pointed to the agent machine.

The Rational Performance Tester workbench automatically deploys test assets required for execution to participating agents. For more information about the deployment directory, see Managing deployment directory.

A typical set up of Rational Performance Tester workbench, Rational Performance Tester agents, and the system under test is shown here:Set up of Rational Performance Tester workbench, agents, and the system under test


Feedback