Software quality assurance teams use IBM® Rational® Performance Tester to identify the presence and cause of system bottlenecks. Here is a quick summary ot the new capabilities and updates in Version 8.0:

• A Streamlined Eclipse interface option has been added to improve usability for new users. The Full Eclipse interface is still available.
• Running tests and viewing summary results from IBM® Rational® Quality Manager is supported.
• IBM® Rational® Test Lab Manager is supported.
• HTTP tests now support the Kerberos protocol for authentication.
• A larger volume of performance measurements can be collected.
• Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is supported.
• Datapools can now be encrypted.
• Links inside test assets are managed automatically.
• The Rational Performance Tester Extension for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) supports the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme.
• The Rational Performance Tester Extension for SOA Quality provides a generic service client to record all of the supported transport protocols and options, including HTTP, Java Message Service (JMS), and Message Queuing (MQ).

This article expands on some of the key advancements in this latest release.

Streamlined Eclipse interface

You can choose between Streamlined Eclipse and Full Eclipse. The Streamlined Eclipse user interface is optimized for testing to help new users start testing quickly. The Streamlined Eclipse interface hides items such as wizards and preference windows that do not apply to performance or service testing.

The Streamlined Eclipse mode disables options from the Rational Performance Tester menus that are typically used during performance testing. Both the fully enabled and Streamlined Eclipse modes can operate using the same workspace, so if you start Rational Performance Tester in the streamline mode and discover that you cannot accomplish all of your tasks, you can close Rational Performance Tester and restart it in the fully enabled mode.

Test management Integration

This releases supports IBM Rational Quality Manager, which is a new, Web-based, centralized test management environment. It offers a collaborative and customizable solution for test planning, workflow control, tracking, and metrics reporting that is capable of quantifying how project decisions and deliverables affect and align with business objectives. You can now run Rational Performance Tester tests from Rational Quality Manager and also view summary results from within Rational Quality Manager.

Kerberos authentication support

Kerberos is a security authentication protocol that requires users and services to provide proof of identity. With the V8.0 release of IBM Rational Performance Tester, users can record and play back HTTP tests in envi ronments that use the Kerberos protocol for authentication.

Note:
Kerberos is supported only for HTTP tests on Rational Performance Tester.

Increased scalability for large-volume performance tests

Every release of IBM Rational Performance Tester makes advancements in scalability. In the V8.0 release, enhanced statistical data collection enables you to capture and process a larger volume of performance measurements. Further, the Help documentation includes a new section called "Tips to make Rational Performance Tester run faster and more efficiently." This section offers several tips for execution of large-volume performance tests, ranging from hardware and operating system configuration tips to configuration optimizations.

Internet Protocol Version 6 support

Support for recording and playback using Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) has been added to the current release for HTTP, Siebel, SIP, SOA, and socket protocols.

To learn more about these new features, as well as about existing capabilities of IBM Rational Performance Tester, see Resources.

Resources

Learn

• Visit the Rational software area on developerWorks for technical resources and best practices for Rational Software Delivery Platform products.
  
  
• Watch short product demonstration movies to see the tool in action.
  
  
• Read about the basic features and functionality of IBM Rational Performance Tester in the IBM Rational Performance Tester Datasheet.
  
  
• For general information about IBM Rational Performance Tester, see the IBM Rational Performance Tester Product Information page.
  
  
• Explore Rational computer-based, Web-based, and instructor-led online courses. Hone your skills and learn more about Rational tools with these courses, which range from introductory to advanced. The courses on this catalog are available for purchase through computer-based training or Web-based training. Additionally, some "Getting Started" courses are available free of charge.
  
  
• Subscribe to the Rational Edge newsletter for articles on the concepts behind effective software development.
  
  
• Subscribe to the IBM developerWorks newsletter, a weekly update on the best of developerWorks tutorials, articles, downloads, community activities, webcasts and events.
  
  
• Browse the technology bookstore for books on these and other technical topics.
  
  

Get products and technologies

• Download the free IBM Rational Performance Tester Trial Evaluation Software.
  
  
• Download trial versions of IBM Rational software.
  
  
• Download these IBM product evaluation versions and get your hands on application development tools and middleware products from DB2®, Lotus®, Tivoli®, and WebSphere®.
  
  

Discuss

• Participate in the discussion forum.
  
  
• Check out developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
  
  

About the author

Brian Bryson joined Rational Software in 1995 with a strong background in Quality Assurance. Currently, he is a member of the product team that plans and delivers the IBM Rational automated toolset. A former instructor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, Mr. Bryson has taught the Rational approach to quality automation to college students as well as employees of organizations such as Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle.

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Table of contents

• Streamlined Eclipse interface
• Test management Integration
• Kerberos authentication support
• Increased scalability for large-volume performance tests
• Internet Protocol Version 6 support
• Resources
• About the author
• Comments

Next steps from IBM

• Try: Rational Performance Tester
• Demo: Unify your System i test efforts with IBM Rational software
• Webcast: IT performance management: Measure, monitor and modify for operational excellence
• Briefing: Quality driven software delivery
• Buy: Rational Performance Tester

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