Before Implementation > Information Required Before Implementation |
Before you begin implementing a protocol, gather technical and business information about the application to be tested.
Before implementing the protocol, ask yourself:
Do you need to develop a protocol or are there existing LoadRunner protocols that can be used to test the application?
If existing protocols offer an imperfect solution but there is a workaround, can your users use the workaround with reasonable effort? Does using the workaround result in readable, maintainable scripts?
Gather information about:
the functionality of the application
the security and authentication characteristics of the application
the required support for internationalization
asynchronous processes—will they have to be handled?
errors and retries—How does the application handle them?
the client-side environment. What files, installations, and configurations have to be installed on a load generator to run the protocol? Are there other special system requirements? On what operating systems will load generators run?
similar open source code. Is there any open-source code similar to the logic of your protocol that you can adopt? Other software may communicate with your application and may contain solutions to problems like application-specific authentication.
the application's API. Does the application have a clear, published API?
Gather information about:
profile and skill level of the end users of the protocol
difficulties with existing solutions, whether by HP or others
use cases
related protocols—protocols that are likely to be used with this protocol
required platforms
customer requirements
You can gather information about the from the following sources:
the application specifications or manufacturer's documentation
installing and testing the application
examples of use on open sites or from cooperating customers
contact people in the company that produce the application
public material relevant to testing this application