Frequently Asked Questions

The following list is compiled of frequently asked questions about the Open Load testing product suite. If you are unable to locate the answer you are looking for below, please contact our technical support team for more details or visit our knowledge base.

• What types of applications does OpenLoad support testing?
  OpenLoad can be used to test almost any Web based application or service including dynamic websites deployed with Oracle PeopleSoft, Oracle Fusion, Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Application Server, IBM WebSphere, IBM Lotus Domino, BEA WebLogic, Apache Tomcat, JBoss, Microsoft .NET, Microsoft ASP, Adobe ColdFusion MX, Flash, JRun, Sun One (iPlanet), HP Application Server, Borland Application Server, New Atlanta ServletExec, Ruby on Rails, PHP, PERL CGI and many more.

• What types of client technologies does OpenLoad support testing?
  OpenLoad can be used to test almost any client-side Web technology including AJAX, JavaScript, Java Applets, ActiveX Controls, Win Forms, WebForms, Flash and much more.

• Can OpenLoad be used for both functional and load testing?
  Yes. OpenLoad supports both automated functional and load testing. It has powerful regression testing capabilities built-in that allow you to easily verify expected output under load or for single user functional tests.

• Can OpenLoad be used for application-level performance monitoring?
  Yes. OpenLoad allows you to leverage your existing load testing scenarios for monitoring the performance of your production applications and will email or page you if the service-level thresholds you've specified are exceeded.

• Can I import test data from a file with OpenLoad?
  Yes. OpenLoad allows you to easily import your own list of data from a CSV file or directly from a spreadsheet so that you can vary user input such as IDs, passwords, menu options, etc.

• What are the minimum system resources required to run OpenLoad?
  OpenLoad requires at least a Pentium IV (1 GHz), 1 GB RAM and 5 GB of free disk space to install and run properly. Unlike typical load testing tools, OpenLoad runs as a web-based service allowing you to access the application from any browser on your network. As a result, it requires the minimum amount of processing power and memory as your average light weight application server. Attempting to run OpenLoad on a system with less than 1 GB RAM may result in intermittent out of memory errors by the Java Virtual Machine.  
• How many virtual users can run on a single box?
  The number of users you are able to run on a box can vary based on the type of application being tested, but the following requirements generally apply for most applications:

  VU Number	Minimum	Recommended
  10-100 VUs	P1000MHz, 1 GB RAM	P1000MHz, 1GB RAM
  100-500 VUs	P1000MHz, 1GB RAM	P1500MHz, 1.5GB RAM
  500-1,250 VUs	P1500MHz, 1.5GB RAM	P2000MHz, 2GB RAM
  1,250-2,500 VUs	2 x P2000MHz, 2GB RAM	2 x P2000MHz, 4GB RAM

   

• Can I distribute load across multiple machines?
  Yes. OpenLoad has a controller-agent model that allows you to distribute load across multiple agent machines as well as test from different points on the network.  
• What platforms does OpenLoad support?
  Since OpenLoad is a completely browser based application, it can be accessed from any platform that supports Interenet Explorer or FireFox. The OpenLoad software tool can be installed Windows XP Professional, Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and Windows® NT 4.0.  
• What do I need to run OpenLoad?
  OpenLoad is a completely browser based application. All you need is a Web browser (Internet Explorer 5.5 or better recommended) and Sun's Java Runtime Environment (version 1.5+), which is required to view the real-time reporting and analysis features.  
• Why does OpenLoad use IBM DB2 Universal Database?
  IBM DB2 Universal Database provides OpenLoad users with unmatched scalability and all of the other advantages that come with using an enterprise level database such as the ability to generate customized queries and reports, and safeguard your test results through regular backups. Load testing is data intensive by nature; particularly when it comes to storing and retrieving the detailed information generated by hundreds or thousands of virtual users. This process can consume a great deal of resources on your system and is the reason why most tools can only safely generate a 100 or so virtual users per client machine without skewing the test results.

  OpenLoad is able to optimize this process and deliver more virtual users per machine than any other load testing tool on the market by leveraging the power and scalability of DB2. OpenLoad is also the only testing solution that provides users with the ability to run their own SQL queries and generate customized reports that may not be available through the OpenLoad Analysis user interface; allowing for much greater depth of analysis when it is required. OpenLoad ships with IBM DB2 Universal Database, but also supports Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Apache Derby and HSQLDB. Please inquire with our support team for more details on using an alternative database.  

• How does OpenLoad record HTTP and HTTPS traffic?
  OpenLoad uses a proxy to capture all HTTP and HTTPS traffic sent from your browser. It also captures responses which you can view in the "View Details" mode of the OpenLoad Recorder. The OpenLoad proxy recorder runs on port 5115 by default (this may be modified in the "openload.proxy.port" setting found in OPENLOAD_INSTALL_ROOT/openload.properties file) and is only up while the OpenLoad service is running. All HTTP and HTTPS traffic generated from your machine will be routed through the OpenLoad Recorder. So if you are in record mode, make sure that all other applications that might generate web requests are closed. Otherwise those requests will be recorded as part of your script.  
• How do I set the proxy information for the OpenLoad Recorder in Internet Explorer?
  The recommended way is to open Internet Explorer, goto Tools --> Internet Options --> Connections --> LAN Settings, select the 'Use automatic configuration script' checkbox and enter "http://localhost:8090/openload/servlet/proxy.pac" in the 'Address' field. Note "localhost" should only be used if you are recording on the same system OpenLoad is installed on. Otherwise you should use the hostname of the system OpenLoad is installed on (e.g."http://myhostname:8090/openload/servlet/proxy.pac"). You can determine the hostname of the system OpenLoad is installed on by running "hostname" at your Windows command prompt.

  Alternatively, you could set the proxy server by hand (not recommended) by opening Internet Explorer, going to Tools --> Internet Options --> Connections --> LAN Settings, selecting the 'Use a proxy server for your LAN ....' checkbox, entering "localhost" in the 'Address' field and entering "5115" in the 'Port' field.

  Note: If you use dial-up or VPN to access your application, you will need to open Internet Explorer, goto Tools --> Internet Options --> Connections --> Dial-up and Virtual Private Network settings --> Settings, and follow the instructions above.  

• How do I configure OpenLoad to use my existing proxy?
  During the install process, you have the option of configuring OpenLoad to use your existing proxy server for HTTP or HTTPS traffic. This is required if you must go through a proxy to access the application you plan to test. For example, if you want to test a site on the Internet and you must normally go through a proxy to access sites on the Web, you should configure OpenLoad to use your existing proxy. Otherwise, you will only be able to access internal sites that do not require a proxy while OpenLoad is running. If you do configure OpenLoad to use your existing proxy server, and want to test a site on your local network, you will need to add it to the "openload.proxy.recorder.excludeUrlFilter" setting found in the OPENLOAD_INSTALL_ROOT/openload.properties file. This setting tells OpenLoad not to go through your proxy for that particular site(s).  
• How do I parameterize my recorded scripts with OpenLoad?
  OpenLoad provides a powerful set of "Auto" functions that allow you to automatically parameterize your recorded user scenarios without the need to do complex scripting. The "Auto" functions are available in the "Query String" edit mode of the OpenLoad Recorder and allow you to import data (including comma separated lists of usernames and passwords), dynamically change values on the fly and set and retreive variables (including session IDs) from server responses using OpenLoad's powerful Regular Expression pattern matching capabilities. OpenLoad also provides a built-in JavaScript Engine for writing your own custom functions. All user scenarios are XML based and can be easily customized using OpenLoad's intuitive browser interface or with your favorite XML editor.  
• Can OpenLoad be used to test sites with multiple IP addresses?
  OpenLoad provides the ability to easily parameterize recorded user scenarios so that you can play the same script against multiple target machines (e.g. web server farms) in a load balanced environment.  
• How do I update my user license for OpenLoad?
  Once your OpenDemand representative has provided you with a valid license key, you can update your OpenLoad user license by opening the file "OPENLOAD_INSTALL_ROOT/openload.properties" and setting "openload.license" equal to the value of your key. Save the file and start OpenLoad.

  Note: The OpenLoad license key is based on the physical MAC address of the machine you plan to install OpenLoad on and is not transferable to other machines. On Windows, you can obtain the MAC address by running the command "ipconfig /all" at the DOS command prompt and locating the first instance of the "Physical Address". If you wish to transfer OpenLoad to a new machine, please contact your local OpenDemand representative to request generation of a new license key.  

• Can OpenLoad be used to test Java-based applications?
  Yes, OpenLoad supports testing any application that uses the HTTP protocol for communication between the client and server, including Java Web Start applications. You just need to configure your Java client to use the OpenLoad proxy recorder, then OpenLoad can capture and playback the traffic. This can be done by setting the Java HTTP/S proxy host and port via the "-D" option in the batch script which launches your Java application. For example, your edited batch file may look something like:
  java.exe -cp "%CLASSPATH%" -Dhttp.proxyHost=localhost -Dhttp.proxyPort=5115 -Dhttps.proxyHost=localhost -Dhttps.proxyPort=5115 com.mycomp.JavaApp

  Note: If your Java application is launched via a Java plug-in, then you will need to configure the proxy settings via the plug-in user interface.  

• Can OpenLoad be used to test non Web-based applications?
  OpenLoad only supports applications that use the HTTP protocol for communication between the client and server. If the client can be directed to use the OpenLoad proxy recorder, then OpenLoad can capture and playback the traffic. Most browsers (including Internet Explorer and Netscape), Java applets and stand alone Java applications can easily be configured to use a proxy, and are therefore easily supported by OpenLoad.  
• How can I tell you about a feature I would like to see in your next version?
  We always welcome feature requests. You may email a feature request to support@opendemand.com or submit your request at our knowledge base.  

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