May 19, 2016

LoadRunner Part # 12 - How to use Analyzer in LoadRunner

How to use Analyzer in LoadRunner

In this tutorial, we will study following topics-

1. How to use Analyzer in LoadRunner

HP Analysis, as the name suggests, is a program to perform detailed (literally, very detailed) analysis on the performance test you’ve carried out.
HP Analysis takes the dump created by Controller, during execution of your load test. The dump contains all the information in raw format which is parsed by HP Analysis to generate various graphs.
Let’s learn more about HP Analysis.
To launch HP Analysis, go to Start Menu =>HP Software =>HP LoadRunner =>Analysis as demonstrated below:
This will launch Analysis. As usual, at first a splash screen will open as shown below:
After a moment, this splash screen will automatically lead to the main screen of HP Analysis. The main screen will open in restored mode. Refer to below snapshot:
Click on the File menu and you will see a list of menus as in below snapshot:
Click on the File Menu or use Ctrl + N to open create analysis session. This will open a dialogue box to help you locate the lrr file. The file extension, LRR stands for LoadRunner Results.
Remember HP Controller creates a repository of results in a folder? That folder contains the lrr file.
Locate the res folder of the scenario for which you wish to create analysis session. A snapshot has been provided below for reference:
As soon as you select the correct file, HP Analysis will first check for available disk space to ensure you don’t run out of space during the process. This is because the size of a session can be very large especially for complex scenario where you’ve included multiple VUScripts and run for long hours.
Below window will open momentarily:
Immediately after affirming availability of disk space, HP Analysis will come to action and you will see a “currently analyzing” window, as shown below:
The time taken by above window depends upon the size of result folder (or statistics contained in that folder)
If it takes way too long, or gets stuck, you can opt to cancel by clicking on the cancel button.
Once finished, this will automatically lead to a quick window where format template will be applied:
This should quickly lead you to main window of Session Explorer. However, if you’re using some complex custom template and the operation halts for any reason, you can click on the Stop button to cancel the operation and start over.

2. Session explorer

Once the operations completes, you will see main session window which looks something like this:
Here you can see the directory where you picked up the results from.
You can also see complete information about your scenario within Analysis session. In the Summary Report tab, you can see the duration of the scenario which was run to get these results.
The term percentile is used in analysis almost with every graph. You can define the value for percentile in the properties panel. The default is set to 90.
Notice the graph section in Session Explorer:
There are few graphs appearing already. You can click on the graph name and you will see its details appearance.
From the Summary Report, you can click on the button to open its SLA related information, if available.
Upon clicking, you will see the below window:
You can locate the toolbar just below File menu on the top, it looks like this:
All the buttons in the toolbar perform some action from within the File menu.
HP Analysis contains every bit of information about your scenario, including Run time Settings. As you’re aware by now that Run Time Settings have significant impact on performance, you can view the settings from within Analysis which were used to run the scenario.
To view the Run Time Settings, click on from the File Menu or button from the toolbar.
The Run Time Settings will be displayed as below:
As you can see, not only all the settings can be seen from within this window, you can also open the Schedule by clicking on button or view script by clicking on button. To close the window, click on  button.

3. Analysis Graphs

HP Analysis will load most important graphs at the time of Analysis. You can click on any graph name from the Session Explorer to view details against available graph.
Let’s discuss few graphs one by one.

3.1 Average Response Time graph:

This graph displays the number of hits made on the Web server by VUsers during each second of the load test. This graph helps you evaluate the amount of load VUsers generate, in terms of the number of hits.
Have a look at graph of our scenario:
When viewing a graph, it is pivotal to understand the graph legend side by side.
The Legend shows the transaction name, its color, minimum value, average value, maximum value and standard deviation (variance around the mean).
The colors of the graph can be recognized from the Legend.

3.2 Hits Per Second graph:

This graph displays the number of hits made on the Web server by VUsers during each second of the load test. This graph helps you evaluate the amount of load VUsers generate, in terms of the number of hits.
Have a look at the graph in case of our scenario:
As can be seen from graph as well as legend, that there were times where there were no hits to the server.

3.3 Running VUsers graph:

This graph displays the number of VUsers that executed VUser scripts, and their status, during each second of a load test. This graph is useful for determining the VUser load on your server at any given moment.

3.4 Throughput graph

This graph displays the amount of throughput (in bytes) on the Web server during the load test. Throughput represents the amount of data that the VUsers received from the server at any given second. This graph helps you to evaluate the amount of load VUsers generate, in terms of server throughput.
Here is description to some more graphs:

3.5 VUser Summary:

This graph displays the number of VUsers that completed their run successfully, stopped their run, or ended with errors. This is how it looks like:

3.6 Rendezvous graph:

This graph Indicates when VUsers were released at rendezvous points and how many VUsers were released at each point. This is how it looks like:

3.7 Transactions Per Second graph:

This graph displays the number of completed transactions (both successful and unsuccessful) performed during each second of a load test. This graph helps you determine the actual transaction load on your system at any given moment. This is how it looks like:

3.8 Total Transactions Per Second graph:

This graph displays the total number of completed transactions (both successful and unsuccessful) performed during each second of a load test. This graph helps you determine the actual transaction load on your system at any given moment. This is how it looks like:

3.9 Transaction Summary graph:

This graph displays the number of transactions that passed, failed, stopped, or ended with errors. This is how it looks like:

3.10 Transaction Performance Summary graph:

This graph displays the minimum, average, and maximum response time for all the transactions in the load test. This is how it looks like:

3.11 Transaction Response Time Under Load graph:

Displays average transaction response times relative to the number of VUsers running at any given point during the load test. This graph helps you view the general impact of VUser load on performance time and is most useful when analyzing a load test which is run with a gradual load. This is how it looks like:

3.12 Transaction Response Time Percentile graph:

This graph displays the percentage of transactions that were performed within a given time range. This graph helps you determine the percentage of transactions that meet the performance criteria defined for your system. This is how it looks like:

3.13 Transaction Response Time Distribution graph:

This graph displays the number of times a transaction was completed over a distribution of time ranges. Note that this graph only displays information for a single transaction at a time. This is how it looks like:

3.14 Throughput (MB) graph:

This graph displays the amount of throughput (in megabytes) on the Web server during the load test. Throughput represents the amount of data that the VUsers received from the server at any given second. This graph helps you to evaluate the amount of load VUsers generate, in terms of server throughput. This is how it looks like:

3.15 HTTP Status Code Summary:

This graph displays the distribution of the various HTTP protocol status codes returned from the Web Server during the load test. This is how it looks like:
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3.16 HTTP Response Per Second graph:

This graph displays the number of the different HTTP status codes returned from the Web server during each second of the load test. This is how it looks like:

3.17 Pages Download Per Second graph:

This graph displays the number of pages received from the Web server during the load test. This is how it looks like:

3.18 Connections graph:

This graph displays the number of Connections. This is how it looks like:

3.19 Connections Per Second graphs:

This graph displays the number of Connections per Second. This is how it looks like:

3.20 Page Component Breakdown (Over Time) graph:

This graph displays the average response time (in seconds) for each Web page and its components during each second of the scenario run. This is how it looks like:

3.21 Page Download Time Breakdown (Over Time) graph:

This graph displays a breakdown of each page component's download time during each second of the scenario run. This is how it looks like:

3.22 Time to First Buffer graph:

This graph displays each Web page component's relative server/network time (in seconds) during each second of the scenario run, for the period of time until the first buffer is successfully received back from the Web server. This is how it looks like:

4. Merging Graphs

Two graphs maybe required to be merged to bring more meaningful information. For example, as we discussed above in graphs that when there were no hits to the server, there was also no bandwidth over the network.
This can be more easily drawn when merging.
Let’s see how graphs are merged.
Before you open the graph merging option, ensure you have at least one graph opened already, which you wish to merge. The utility will assume you want to add another graph to the already opened graph.
To open the merge graph window, go to View menu and click on Merge Graphs. Here is how the menu looks like:
Clicking above menu will open the main window of merging graphs, here is a snapshot:

 

Here, we’re merging Transaction Response Time with Running VUsers graph. The Merge Graph window requires you to provide the name of newly formed merged graph.
Here is how this merged graph looks like:

5. Add New Graphs

To add new graph, click on the Graph menu and select Add New Graph.
Refer to below snapshot of the Menu:
:
Once clicked, it will open a list of all graphs available in LoadRunner (HP Analysis)
You can select any graph by double clicking on its name. This will load the graph with values/statistics to the main window of HP Analysis.
Click Close button to go back to the main window.
Let’s have a look at the window:

6. Crossing with Results

If you’ve multiple scenario run already, you can use their results folder to cross match the statistics. This process helps directly compare both results and generate cumulative report.
In order to perform Cross results, click onicon from the toolbar or click Cross with Results from the File Menu.
This will open below window:
The Result List is showing your current results folder (for which the analysis is being performed)
You can click on the Add button to add another result folder with which a cross will be analysed.
Select the other result folder and click on Open.
The previous Results List window will be open again. This time you will have 2 result folders in the list.
Have a look at the window:
Click on the OK button.
A new window will open containing side by side comparison of both results.
Here is a snapshot:
You can add as many result folder in cross list as you wish, however, this will become complicated to understand and analyse. So it is suggested to keep the list short.

7. Saving a Session

Working with HP Analysis may take significant time. Since you may have merged graph or currently studying some new graph, it is a good idea to keep your session information saved.
To save your session, simply click on the File Menu and click on Save.
Below dialogue window will open:
Clicking the Save button will initiate the Save process which could be instant or time consuming, depending upon the size of session.
Here is what the window looks like:

7.1 Opening a Session

You can open an existing session in similar way. Simply click Open under File Menu and select the folder of saved session. Remember, HP Analysis will not open the last folder node; rather it will open the folder itself.
This will open the main window of Analysis where you can resume your work.

8. Exporting into HTML Report:

HP Analysis provides a feature to export all data into a well formatted HTML or doc format report. To export, click on the Report menu and select HTML Report. Have a look at the menu below:
This will open a dialogue box to locate the directory where HML report will be placed.
Have a look at the screen snapshot below:
As soon as you click the Save button, HP Analysis will start exporting results and preparing a report in HTML format. A splash screen will appear for a short period, depending upon the size of report you’re exporting:
After the export finishes, it will immediately open the recently exported HTML file in Internet Explorer or your default browser. Here it how your 1st Performance Testing Report looks like:
Video on Analyzer

If you face issue viewing video click here

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