Defining requirements in schedules

You can define performance requirements to specify the acceptable thresholds for the performance parameters in a schedule. The performance requirements that you define can also be used to validate the service-level agreements.

You can define both the performance and functional requirements in the schedules. The verdict of the schedule is computed based on the requirements defined in the schedule. You can view the verdict in the Requirements report. You can add the requirement for counters, which you can generate, by using the custom code in a schedule. After the test run is initiated, you can view the information about the counters graphically when the test run starts the custom code.

  1. Find the schedule you want and double-click it.

    The schedule is displayed.
  2. Perform the following steps in the VU Schedule Details pane:
    1. Select Requirements from the Category field.
    2. Select Enable Requirements check box.
  3. Enter a name for a requirement in the Name field.

    Alternatively, you can click Use Defaults to use the default name for a requirement.
  4. Perform the following steps, to set an Operator and Value for the requirements you defined:
    1. Click the Operator field to display the list of mathematical operators and select an operator for the requirement from the list.
    2. Enter a value for the requirement in the Value field.
      The value you enter is selected as the standard value for the requirement by default.
    3. Clear the Standard check box or let the selection remain as is based on the following options:
      • Clear the selection – This action enables the value of the selected requirement to be a supplemental value.
      • Retain the selection – This action enables the value of the selected requirement to be a standard value.
  5. Perform the following steps to add the counter information generated by using the custom code to a requirement:
    1. Expand the Custom section and double-click the row.
      The Add Custom Requirement window is displayed.
    2. Enter the path that you used in the custom code in the Counter path field.
      For example, if you specify the counter as getValueCounter("New Counter","Test","Test Value") in the custom code, then you must enter the counter path as /New Counter/Test/Test Value.
    3. Select the Component from the list, and then click OK.
  6. To remove the selected requirement, select the requirement, and then click Clear.
    Note:
    The requirement is disabled and can be redefined.

You can define the performance requirements in a schedule or in a test if your protocol supports it. When you define a requirement in a test, the requirement is defined individually for each test element even if you select multiple test elements. When you define a requirement in a schedule, the requirement is applied to the aggregate of test elements.

For example, assume that you select every page in a test and define the following as a requirement: Page Response Time(Average) must be less than 5 seconds.

This means that if one page in the test has a response time of 6 seconds, the requirement on that page fails. If the other pages have a response time of less than 5 seconds, the requirement is pass.

For example, in a schedule you can define the following requirement: Response Time For All Pages (Average) as less than 5 seconds. This measures the average response time for all the pages. If one page has a response time of 30 seconds and if there are 7 pages that have a lower response time such that the average response time is less than 5 seconds, then the page with a response time of 30 seconds also passes the requirement.

After you defined the requirements in a VU Schedule, you can run the requirement against the application under test, and then analyze the results that are reported.