Unable to get performance counters from certain servers when running load tests

3
votes

I am running load tests using the built in system in Visual Studio 2010. The setup is a test controller with four agents. The tests that I am running will put load on an application server and a database server. The problem I am having is that I am unable to get values from the performance counters on the application server and the database server. I have followed the instructions on http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms404661%28v=vs.100%29.aspx and http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/tlingenfelder/archive/2009/06/18/performance-counters-timeouts-and-load-testing-with-visual-studio-2008.aspx in order to troubleshoot, but to no avail.

Using Performance Monitor (perfmon) I can connect and get values from the performance counters on the application server and database, tested from several computers. But when running the load tests, I get nothing.

I am trying to get system performance counters like CPU% and memory usage, so there are no custom counters involved.

Any hints as to what I shoud do next?

2
visual-studio-2010automated-testsload-testingperformancecounter

2 Answers

1
votes

The main problem was that I was not aware of that in order to get performance data from a computer during load testing it should have a test agent (or controller) installed on it.

  1. Install test agents and register them with the controller on all machines used for load testing (for me, the appserver and the database, those did not have test agents installed)
  2. In the actual load test in Visual Studio, remove the appserver and database from the counter sets
  3. Add them again
  4. Run the test!

Seems like the old reference to the appserver and database in the load test did not work as expected, hence the need to remove and add them again.

Voila! Performance counters appears and returns values!

0
votes

I have also the same problem. The only solution I found is to remove some counters in counter sets and also increase the sampling interval (see here).

Another things that i have in my rig are Roles : agents will run tests but not collect data ; this will be done by my web server (installed a test agent on it). Please look at the link.