October 15, 2020
LOAD GENERATOR SETUP

How to set up Virtual Machine Load Generators for use with LoadRunner on Microsoft Azure.

Microsoft Azure gives you an ideal testing platform for running LoadRunner Load Generators on Azure Virtual Machines, although there are a few extra steps required to get these set up and working properly through Azure and LoadRunner.

Once you have created Virtual Machines on Azure to your specifications, and have LoadRunner installed on each of these, follow the steps below to finish preparations and turn these Virtual Machines into test-ready Load Generators for use in LoadRunner.

a). Fixed IP Addresses - Because LoadRunner needs to identify and connect to the load generators via their public IP Address, we need to ensure that each virtual machine being used as a load generator has its own fixed IP address.

To change from a dynamic IP to a fixed IP in Azure, you need to select the Virtual Machine in question, and select 'Settings - Properties' from the Left Menu, and then click on the Public IP Address shown on the next screen. You will then be able to choose between Dynamic and Static IP options before saving, so choose the static IP address option.

b). Open Inbound / Outbound Ports 54345 on Azure - LoadRunner makes use of ports 54345 for inbound and outbound interaction with the remote Load Generators. It is recommended to therefore open these ports on any Virtual Machines being used as Load Generators through Azure to ensure best connection and performance.

To set up these rules simply select the Virtual Machine in Azure, choose 'Settings - Networking' and click on the button to ‘Add inbound port rule’. This opens a window with many options, so simply add the destination port range ‘54345’ and give the rule a name so you can easily identify it. Once you click Save you should see the new rule in the list shown.

Next, click on 'Outbound Port' rules, and repeat the process for adding ‘Outbound Port Rule’ to allow port '54345' as in the previous step. Repeat both steps for all Virtual Machines you wish to use as Load Generators.

c). Connect via LoadRunner Controller - To connect to the load generators via your LoadRunner Controller, you need to ensure that LoadRunner is installed on all the machines and Virtual Machines to be used as Load Generators. You also need to ensure that the machines are running and are logged in before trying to connect.

Once ready, you can open or create the Test Plan Scenario file on your LoadRunner Controller and choose the ‘Load Generators’ button on the toolbar.

You can then enter the IP addresses from step a). into the Load Generator name boxes on this window, and test that you are able to connect by clicking on the ‘Connect’ button. If you are unable to connect do the following checks, confirm the IP address matches with step a). and that the Virtual Machine is turned on and logged in, and you have LoadRunner installed.

Once you have successfully connected, you are now able to use the Azure Virtual Machines as LoadRunner Load Generators for your testing purposes.

Posted on:

October 15, 2020

in

Performance testing

category.

Is there a project You'd like to discuss?

related insights

Securing cloud-based applications

Usability and Accessibility Testing - What is the Difference ?

Incorporating Non-Functional Testing Early in the Software Development Cycle

Benefits / Drawbacks of Performance Testing in Test / Scaled Down Environments

Incorporating Performance Testing within CI/CD Pipelines

Obtaining Buy-In for Non-Functional Testing

Troubleshooting Performance Issues in Test Environments: A Real-World Scenario

Demystifying Database Tuning - Unraveling Database Performance

‍Functional Test Automation: Why companies often feel let down by the outcome of their investment

The OWASP Top Ten - The Top 10 Web Application Security Risks

Avoiding Artificial Bottlenecks / Performance Issues in Performance Testing

Accessibility Guidelines - Understanding WCAG 2.1, the Upcoming WCAG 2.2 and Future WCAG 3.0 Updates

What is Volumetric Analysis ?

The Performance Testing Cycle Explained

Service Level Agreements vs. Non-Functional Requirements for Performance Testing

Applying Automated Test Solutions

Combining Performance Testing and Chaos Engineering

Non-Functional Testing Strategy for Performance

Explaining Penetration Testing

Explaining Performance Testing

Explaining Accessibility Testing

Explaining Penetration Testing

Silk Central Upgrade - "It's just a simple upgrade...."

How Selenium WebDriver can be used for Performance Testing

Performance Testing with SSO, OAuth

16 Tips Before You Automate

What is Automated Software Testing?

Load Testing and Performance Testing Tools

10 Top Tips for Automated Performance Scripts