After you use QuickTest to create and run a suite of tests that test the functional capabilities of your application, you may want to test how much load your application can handle or to monitor your application as it runs.

Mercury LoadRunner tests the performance of applications under controlled and peak load conditions. To generate load, LoadRunner runs hundreds or thousands of virtual users. These virtual users provide consistent, repeatable, and measurable load to exercise your application just as real users would.

Mercury Business Availability Center enables real-time monitoring of the end user experience. Business Process Monitor runs virtual users to perform typical activities on the monitored application.

If you have already created and perfected a test in QuickTest that is a good representation of your users' actions, you may be able to use your QuickTest test as the basis for performance testing and application management activities. You can use Silent Test Runner to check in advance that a QuickTest test will run correctly from LoadRunner and Business Process Monitor.

QuickTest enables you to create complex tests that examine the full spectrum of your application's functionality to confirm that every element of your application works as expected in all situations.

The run mechanisms used in all Mercury Performance Testing and Mercury Business Availability Center products are the same. This means that you can create tests that are compatible with LoadRunner and Business Process Monitor, enabling you to take advantage of tests or test segments that have already been designed and debugged in QuickTest.

For example, you can add QuickTest tests to specific points in a LoadRunner scenario to confirm that the application's functionality is not affected by the extra load at those sensitive points. You can also run QuickTest tests on Business Process Monitor to simulate end user experience and ensure that your application is running correctly and in a timely manner.

QuickTest also offers several features that are designed specifically for integration with LoadRunner and Business Process Monitor. However, since LoadRunner and Business Process Monitor are designed to run tests using virtual users representing many users simultaneously performing standard user operations, some QuickTest features may not be available when integrating these products with QuickTest.

If you do plan to use a single test in both QuickTest and LoadRunner and/or Business Process Monitor, you should take into account the different options supported in each product as you design your test.

QuickTest Performance Testing and Business Availability Center Features: You can use the Services object and its associated methods to insert statements that are specifically relevant to Performance Testing and Business Availability Center. These include AddWastedTime, EndDistributedTransaction, EndTransaction, GetEnvironmentAttribute, LogMessage, Rendezvous, SetTransaction, SetTransactionStatus, StartDistributedTransaction, StartTransaction, ThinkTime, and UserDataPoint. For more information on these methods, refer to the Services section of the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference and your LoadRunner or Business Availability Center documentation.

You can also insert StartTransaction and EndTransaction statements using the Insert > Start Transaction and Insert > End Transaction menu options or toolbar buttons to insert the statement.

Note: LoadRunner and Business Process Monitor use only the data that is included within a transaction, and ignore any data in a test outside of a transaction.

Also See: Other LoadRunner Tutorials