Running Rational Performance tester with agents on other side of firewall

Rational Performance tester in terms of software installations as three components
1. RPT master or workbench
2. RPT License server
3. RPT Agents
RPT master is similar to controller in Loadrunner and plays central role in configuring and executing tests. In a case, where you got RPT agents inside the firewall and master outside or vice versa, the ports with which this communication generally happens becomes key as these ports need to be opened to make the test execution possible.  Also if license server is on other side of firewall with respect to workbench , it also requires to open appropriate firewalls.

How to setup Multiple RPT agents on high end server

Rational Performance tester agents are driver process built on Java. Rpt agent doesn't scale up directly even though you throw more hardware in terms of memory/cpu on it. The reason being the memory constraint for Java heap size of the driver process on agent machine. The maximum heap size for RPT_VMARGS property on linux OS is 3000m. So if you have a big iron having multiple cores and high memory as much as 32GB, then running one agent handicaps you from using the real power of the machine and all the memory goes wasted. To overcome this, there is way you run many RPT agent drivers  that can help to use the power of the high end server and drive more user load during the test.

Memory considerations In Rational Performance tester (RPT)

Rational Performance tester tool is built on Java/Eclipse technology. Unlike Loadrunner, there are few memory implications that one has to be aware when using Rational performance tester.
RPT is GUI based tool and main GUI is enhanced eclipse. This is called workbench and mirrors controller in Loadrunner. The memory settings of the eclipse is key in having responsive workbench.
Other region of interest with regards to RPT memory is the driver memory . This memory is very key is executing higher number of users otherwise, you will face the issue of Java Out of memory very frequently. As evidently this two setting both relate to  JVM memory settings.

How to create new Rational Performance tester Custom report?

Rational Performance tester (RPT) has good feature to create custom reports. The main thing with default reports was the challenge to filter the report for each individual test scripts and have these are readily available in RPT.
Workaround is to create your own reports that you can fetch whenever required with just couple clicks.
Below are the steps that can help to create the your own Rational performance tester custom report.
1. Creating new report template
2. Creating the tabs as many as you want that have the charts,table or graphic the way you want
3. Adding graphic filters – like top 10 page hits etc
4. Adding the performance counters that you want the report to present like average page response time, or total completed transactions etc