This chapter explains how to specify the Virtual User ramp rate for the current scenario.
The Ramp section on Composer tab is where you specify the rate at which the Controller starts running virtual users.
The Ramp Rate and Stop Conditions settings work together to specify the rate at which virtual users ramp up. Use the Run Now button to start the scenario immediately. Use the Schedule to specify a start time if not using the Run Now button.
Use the Advanced options to specify start, stop, and ramp-up conditions on a per-script basis. When the Handle ramping of profiles individually is set in the Advanced pane of the Ramp section, the Ramp Rate and Stop Conditions are disabled. Clear the Handle ramping of profiles individually option in the Advanced pane to re-enable the Ramp Rate and Stop Conditions settings. See Section 6.1.2, "Using the Advanced Scenario Ramp Options" for additional information about the Advanced options.
The Ramp Rate pane of the Ramp section of the Composer tab lets you specify the Virtual User ramp settings for the current Scenario.
To specify how many Virtual Users to start at a time:
Add scripts in the Profiles section of the Composer tab.
Click the Ramp section.
The Add settings in the Ramp Rate pane specifies the start rate for virtual users.
users - specifies the number of the virtual users to start at a time based upon the After setting. Selecting this option enters a default number of virtual users, which is the total number, in the associated editbox. Change the number as required.
percent - specifies a percentage of the virtual users to start at a time based upon the After setting. Selecting this option enters a default percentage in the associated editbox. Change the percentage as required.
The every settings specifies how often the specified number or percentage of virtual users start running and has the following options:
seconds - specifies the number of seconds to wait before starting the specified number or percentage of virtual users. Selecting this option enters a default number of seconds. Change the number as required.
iterations - specifies the number of scenario iterations to wait before starting the specified number or percentage of virtual users. Selecting this option enters a default number of iterations. Change the number as required.
Set the Add options in the Ramp Rate pane.
Set the every options in the Ramp Rate pane.
Set the Stop Condition option in the Stop Condition pane.
The Stop Conditions pane is where you specify when the Scenario profiles should stop running.
Run until user stops test - repeats running of the virtual user scenario continuously until you manually stop the virtual users.
Run for specified duration - allows you to specify how long to continue running the virtual user scenario. Selecting this option opens and editbox in the format: dd:hh:mm:ss. Change the time as necessary. The Session plays back the scenario profiles until the specified time and then automatically stops running the scenario.
Run for specified iterations - allows you to specify the number of times the virtual user profiles iterate while the session is running. Selecting this option opens an editbox for specifying the number of iterations. Change the iteration count as necessary. The virtual users run the scenario profiles the specified number of times and then stops automatically after the count is reached.
Click the Run Now button to start the session immediately or click the Schedule button to schedule the session to run at a later time.
Once the session starts running, the specified number or percentage of virtual users start based on the Add/every settings.
Example: If you specify the percentage as 10% and the After setting is set to delay of 10 seconds, the Scenario starts running ten percent of the virtual users every ten seconds until all virtual users are running.
Example: If you specify the number as 5 and the After setting is set to 1 iteration, five virtual users start after each run of the scenario profiles until all virtual users are running.
Example: If you specify the iteration count as 1 and the Add setting is set to 5 users at a time, five virtual users start first. After the first five complete one iteration of the profile, another five virtual users start. Five additional virtual users start after each iteration until all virtual users are running.
Example: If you specify the delay as 120 seconds and the Add setting is set to 10% percent seconds, ten percent of the virtual users start every 120 seconds until all virtual users are running.
The Advanced Scenario Ramp Options let you specify start, stop, and ramp-up conditions on a per-script basis. These settings override the start, stop, and ramp-up settings specified in the Ramp Rate and Stop Conditions panes.
To specify advanced ramp-up settings:
Add scripts in the Profiles section of the Composer tab.
Click the Ramp section in the Composer tab.
Select the Handle ramping of profiles individually option in the Advanced pane. The advanced ramp setting are as follows:
Ramp Rate - specifies the rate at which the virtual users for the selected profile should start. The available ramp-up settings are as follows:
Add specifies the start rate (how many) for virtual users.
users - specifies the number of the virtual users to start at a time based upon the After setting. Selecting this option enters a default number of virtual users, which is the total number, in the associated editbox. Change the number as required.
percent - specifies a percentage of the virtual users to start at a time based upon the After setting. Selecting this option enters a default percentage in the associated editbox. Change the percentage as required.
every specifies how often the specified number or percentage of virtual users start running and has the following options:
seconds - specifies the number of seconds to wait before starting the specified number or percentage of virtual users. Selecting this option enters a default number of seconds. Change the number as required.
iterations - specifies the number of scenario iterations to wait before starting the specified number or percentage of virtual users. Selecting this option enters a default number of iterations. Change the number as required.
Start Condition - specifies the start conditions for the selected profile. The start settings are as follows:
When load test starts - (default) when selected, the script starts based upon the scenario start criteria specified in the Schedule or when the Run Now button is clicked.
After a delay of (hh:mm:ss) - when selected, the script starts the specified amount of delay time after the scenario starts.
When this profile runs [script name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane starts after the script specified by [script name] reaches the specified number of iterations or the specified delay time.
When this profile stops [script name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane starts after the script specified by [script name] stops. The start of the script selected in the left pane will be delayed by the specified number of seconds.
When this counter [counter name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane starts when the value of the counter specified by [counter name] reaches the criteria specified by the operator and threshold value. The start of the script selected in the left pane will be delayed by the specified number of seconds.
The relational operators used to measure the counter data against the threshold value are as follows:
is greater than. The script selected in the left pane starts when the specified counter value is greater than the specified threshold value.
is less than. The script selected in the left pane starts when the specified counter value is less than the specified threshold value.
equals. The script selected in the left pane starts when the specified counter value equals the specified threshold value.
does not equal. The script selected in the left pane starts when the specified counter value is not equal to the specified threshold value.
Stop Condition - specifies the stop conditions for the selected profile. The stop settings are as follows:
When load test stops - (default) when selected, the script stops based upon the scenario stop criteria specified in the Schedule or when the Stop or Abort button is clicked.
After a delay of (hh:mm:ss) - when selected, the script stops after the specified amount of delay time.
After each user iterates [X] times - when selected, the script stops after the specified number of iterations.
When this profile runs [script name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane stops after the script specified by [script name] reaches the specified number of iterations or the specified delay time.
When this profile stops [script name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane stops when the script specified by [script name] stops. The stopping of the script selected in the left pane will be delayed by the specified number of seconds.
When this counter [counter name] - when selected, the script selected in the left pane stops when the value of the counter specified by [counter name] reaches the criteria specified by the operator and threshold value. The stopping of the script selected in the left pane will be delayed by the specified number of seconds.
The relational operators used to measure the counter data against the threshold value are as follows:
is greater than. The script selected in the left pane stops when the specified counter value is greater than the specified threshold value.
is less than. The script selected in the left pane stops when the specified counter value is less than the specified threshold value.
equals. The script selected in the left pane stops when the specified counter value equals the specified threshold value.
does not equal. The script selected in the left pane stops when the specified counter value is not equal to the specified threshold value.
In the Advanced pane, specify the Ramp Rate, Start Condition, and Stop Condition, for each profile.