Complex load scenario solutions
Complex load scenario possibilities
To configure and manage complex load scenarios MBC provides three types of solutions:
1. Complex load configurations
A configured Traffic Handler on MBC is a logical load generator representing one interface between MBC and the tested system.
Figure F-14: Traffic Set and Traffic Handlers
All Traffic Handlers in a test case are configured in a Traffic Set that handles all interfaces between MBC and the tested system.
A test case in MBC has one or more Traffic Handlers configured.
Each configured Traffic Handler has its own mix of:
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User scenarios.
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Application scenarios.
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Application protocols.
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Transport protocols.
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Internet protocols.
MBC can be configured to handle very complex workloads with multiple Traffic Handlers configured for different application protocols interfacing different components on a tested system.
2. Complex load control
To manage complex load scenarios MBC provides three types of load control.
Figure F-15: Three types of load control
To provide complex control of load MBC provides three types of load control:
1. Scripted load control
Script load control describes the requested load during a performance test in a script.
The script can start Adaptive load control on all Traffic Handlers, one or more Traffic Handler groups, or single Traffic Handlers.
The script can also set the load directly on all Traffic Handlers, one or more Traffic Handler groups, or single Traffic Handlers.
The script can also contain a mix of Adaptive load control and direct load control.
2. Manual load control
Manual load control takes over the entire control of load for a performance test from the configured load script.
If no actions are taken the load will continue as in the load script from the point when manual load control was started.
Manual load control has the full capability of changing all settings in the load script including stopping adaptive load.
3. Adaptive load control
Adaptive load control strives for fulfilling a performance condition by altering the load until the deviation is within +/- 1% of the target value.
When the test condition is achieved Adaptive Load Control strives to maintain the load condition until the test is finished. This period can be from a few minutes up to days or weeks.
Read more about Adaptive load control here.
3. Mixed load control
To simplify management of complex load there are two options:
1. Traffic Handlers configured in groups
Traffic Handlers can be combined into one or more groups to simplify load management.
Figure F-16: A Traffic Set with three groups of Traffic Handlers
For each Traffic Handler in a configured group a share of the total load applied by the group can be specified.
A Traffic Handler can be configured in several groups, but only one of them can be active at a time.
2. Combined load control
The three types of load control are not mutually exclusive!
Figure F-17: Load concurrently controlled by all three types of load control
All three types of load control can be active concurrently in a performance test job. In the figure above all three types of load control are active concurrlently.
This possibility enables complex explorative performance tests.
Let's assume that normal load levels and mix of requested services is represented by a Traffic Handler group under adaptive load control.
In the next step a peak of an unusual services requests is started on other Traffic Handlers by manual load control or scripted load control.
The reduction of capacity to handle normal load can now be measured directly and with high precision.
This kind of performance simulations can be very valuable in applications with stochastic load patterns.
