Acronym List

Below is the list of acronyms used in this document.

File Size Specifications

Below is the list of file sizes for each component required for installation in this release.

New and Enhanced Features in 4.1.14

Common Implementation

Angular 7

With this release, the current Angular 4 framework has been upgraded to Angular 7 framework across all Cavisson products. Angular is one of the most popular frameworks for web application development. Angular 7 is the latest version that provides more features to web developers with improved application performance.

Some of the benefits of Angular 7 are as follows:

1. This provides better user experience, as the components in beta versions earlier are now upgraded to stable versions.
2. This also improves the performance in the rendering of some components. For example, the new table component can now support up to 2000 rows, which earlier was around 200 rows.

Test Initialization Screen

A new feature is provided which displays various stages of a test starting from its initialization to the visualization of captured metrics in Web dashboard. Earlier, it took lots of time to start a test due to some pre-processing and creation of data for generators (in case of NetCloud) and the user had no information about the background processes. This screen displays various stages and overall progress to the user about the test until its completion.

The various stages of test run in NetCloud are:

1. Initialization
2. Generator Validation
3. Scenario Parsing
4. Database Creation
5. Copy Scripts
6. Monitor Initialization
7. Upload Generator Data
8. Cavisson Virtual Machine (CVM Initialization)

Note: This feature is enabled for NetStorm, NetCloud, NetDiagnostics, and NetVision. The stages may vary based on the product in which the test is initialized.

This feature helps a user to view the progress in each stage, such as inputs to the test (validate test data), checking all the resources needed (create DB tables), creation of mandatory files (create test run files), and hitting production (start load generation).

Content Security Policy Header in Tomcat HTTP Response

The Content Security Policy HTTP response header helps to reduce Cross-site scripting (XSS) risks on modern browsers by declaring which dynamic resources are allowed to load.

NetDiagnostics

ND Agent

Download Latest BCI Logs from Server

A user can download agent logs without logging in or accessing application server (agent) side directory. The user can download any type of file from the agent at a specified path and view it in UI. The following options are also provided in the UI:

• ‘Search’ option while viewing file

A search option is provided to search the content in a file. If it matches, the searched content is highlighted.

• ‘Rename’ option while downloading a file

An option to rename a file is available while downloading. Using this feature, the user can provide a custom defined file name before downloading the file.

• ‘Reset’ button for updating the tier / server / instance list

A ‘Reset’ button is provided to reload connected instances and reset the fields to their default values.

• Handling of larger files from UI

While downloading any file, its size is displayed in the ‘Download File’ dialog box and a message pops up if the file size is greater than 10MB. Files with size greater than 10MB are downloaded at a specified path. Their previews are not displayed in UI as it takes a lot of time to render file content.

Entry Points for PostgreSQL from UI

This feature enables a user to configure PostgreSQL based entry points for Java agent. The following entry points are supported:

• executeQuery(String;)Ljava/sql/ResultSet;
• execute(CachedQuery;ParameterList;I)V

Entry and Exit Points for Capturing Redis Callout (Jedis Library)

Redis is an open source in-memory data structure project implementing a distributed, in-memory key-value database with optional durability. New entry and exit points for Jedis (a client library in Java for Redis) are provided, which are as follows:

• clients.jedis.Connection.sendCommand(Lredis/clients/jedis/Protocol$Command;[[B)Lredis/clients/jedis/Connection;
• clients.jedis.Protocol.process(Lredis/clients/util/RedisInputStream;)Ljava/lang/Object;

.NET Agent

Entry Points in Default Profile

New entry points are added for HTTP, Custom, and DB in default profile. Below are some examples:

HTTP

• HttpClient.SendAsync
• HttpClientHandler.SendAsync

Custom

• Form1.button1_Click
• Form1.button4_Click
• Form1.button6_Click
• Form1.Exception_Level1_Click
• Form1.Exception_Level2_Click

DB (SQL and Oracle)

• SqlConnection.Open
• OracleConnection.Open

Backend Naming Rules

A user can now configure Backend Naming Rules from Config UI for .NET Agent type profile by selecting appropriate Integration Point Naming Rule(s) such as Host, Port, Database, and others.

Dynamic Request Properties for Global BT

The following Dynamic Request type properties for global BT are supported in .NET Agent:

• Query Parameter
• Use HTTP Request Method (GET/POST/PUT) in Transaction names
• HTTP Header
• Segment Number

Enhancement: Exception Report Window

With this enhancement, exception regarding .NET Agent data is displayed in ‘Exception Report’ window in Executive Dashboard (ED).

Request Parameter Value based BT

This feature enables a user to configure BTs on the basis of Request Parameter value.

Instrumentation of Methods based on their Signature

With this feature, a user can provide Fully Qualified Method (FQM) with signatures from Config UI.

NodeJS Agent

Enhancement: Integration Point Detection

This enhancement helps a user to configure ‘Integration Exit Point’ and ‘Backend Naming Rule’ for NodeJS Agent.

Instrumentation Profile

This feature helps a user to create, edit, and delete the instrumentation profile from Config UI for NodeJS Agent.

Enable Capture Net Delay Setting

This feature helps a user to enable ‘Capture Net Delay’ setting under ‘Integration Point Setting’ window from Config UI for NodeJS Agent.

ND Config UI

Python and PHP Agent Support

Support for Python and PHP agent is provided through UI.

Version Controlling for PHP Agent

Version controlling for PHP Agent is provided so that the user can close bugs easily and report the same with a proper build.

RTC Changes through Profile Level

With this feature, a user can apply RTC at the profile level. While applying RTC directly from profile, it is sent to all levels of topology (Tier Group, Tier, Server, and Instance) wherever the selected profile is attached. It is applied only for the connected instances under Tier Group, Tier, or Server.

Comma Separated ND Exception Filter List

Instead of a file-based input (file with comma separated exceptions), a user can provide comma separated exception directly from Config UI.

Change in Default Value of IP Resource URL Capturing

Earlier, the default value for ‘IP Resource URL’ was different from the one set from UI. Now, a user can enable / disable this attribute or set its value between 0 and 256.

Transaction based Hotspot

This feature enables a user to capture transaction based hotspot from Config UI. After selecting the ‘Transaction based HotSpot(s)’ check box, the user needs to specify the maximum threads number of threads for the same.

Enhancement: Timeout in Modify Request in RTC

Now, with each RTC message, a NetDiagnostics Collector (NDC) timeout information is sent to the agent that restricts a request in case it exceeds timeout limit.

Drill Down Reports (DDR)

Enhancement: ‘Color Meaning for Methods’ Window

The information for ‘Yellow’ colored highlighted method (Elapsed Threshold) is displayed as a legend in ‘Color Meaning For Methods’ window.

Enhancement: Method Calling Tree

‘Highlight Successor Methods’ information is displayed in Method Calling Tree filter criteria. When elapsed time of two adjacent rows is greater than or equal to threshold value in Method Calling Tree, the row is highlighted.

Enhancement: ‘Count’ Column in Show / Hide Group Box

A ‘Count’ column, which is displayed after merging stacktrace in thread stacktrace, is also displayed in show / hide group box.

Multi DC Support for Web-DDR: IP Health Report

With this feature, a user can create a DDR from IP Health Report in Multi DC and change DC in IP Stats report. The user can also create a DDR from different reports, such as Flowpath Report, Method Calling Tree, and others.

Sorted Fields in Common Query Window

Tier, Server, and Instance names are displayed in alphabetical order in their respective fields in Common UI filter while navigating through Tier status > Drill down > Flowpath By Response Time > UI Filter.

Sorting of Flowpath Details by CPU Time

A user can sort Flowpath details in ascending and descending orders. This feature can be used by applying filter ‘OrderBy=Cpu Time’ from Common Query Manager.

Caching of DDR Queries

Query Caching is one of the caching mechanisms used to improve the performance of DDR. Now, with the implementation of Query Caching, the performance issues for repeatedly executed queries will not occur anymore. That is, a user can store query data in cache file when it is traversed first. After that, it fetches the data from cached file.

Async Call Support

With this feature, a user can handle the following:

• Raw data changes
• Processing required in NDP and database
• Asynchronous callouts in (DDR / ED) for asynchronous call handling in application

Enhancement: DB Query Report

With these enhancements in DB Query report, a user can perform the following actions while traversing from Transaction Flowmap to DB Request Report:

• Download the whole report
• Copy a query
• View the total execution time of a query

Enhancement: Metadata Report

An icon in Flowpath report is provided to view Metadata report. This report contains the DDR entities (metadata), such as tier, server, instances, BTs, queries, DB connections, and others. A user can get the details (in tabular form) of all metadata and mapping of tier, server, instance as per the topology.

Flowpath for Integration Point

In Executive dashboard, following options are provided to drill down from integration points:

• Flowpath By IP Response Time
• Flowpath By IP

Dashboard

Java Heap Dump Analyzer

A new feature is provided to enable analysis of Java heap dump from Web Dashboard UI.

The user can navigate to Java Heap Dump Analyzer via following ways:

• From Action > Diagnostics > Heap dump > Heap dump list > Heap analyzer icon
• From Tier > Server > Instance graph > Widget menu > Diagnostics > Heap dump > Heap dump list > Heap analyzer icon
• From Action > Diagnostics > Heap dump > Heap dump list > Analyze From local
• From Action > Diagnostics > Heap dump > Heap dump list > Analyze From NDE Box

Delete Multiple Favorites (at a time) in Organize Favorites Window

A user can select and delete multiple favorites and directories (by using the ‘Select Multiple’ button) at once even if favorites lie in different directories.

Enhancement: Test Runs Selection Count

The limit to choose maximum Test Runs at a time is increased to 400.

Enhancement: Alert Maintenance Window

If a user selects single Tier, the server level displays the details for that tier, and if pattern is applied, the indices or server list is displayed based on the applied pattern. When the user selects a tier, only that tier gets selected despite of other tiers starting with the same name.

Alert Maintenance in NS Mode

Earlier, in NS mode, alert maintenance was not implemented. Now, it is supported in NS mode.

Enhancement: GC Policy for Tomcat Heap Configuration

Earlier, after creating a controller, user was required to write tomcat GC policy manually in environment variable configuration. Now, environment variable configuration is created automatically while creating controller using UI and configuration is based on defined percentage memory of machine. It reduces user efforts.

Selection of Product Type while Creating a Controller

A user has an option to select the product type from UI while creating a new controller, which was not available earlier.

Enhancement: Sorting of Pattern Matching Graphs

Pattern Matching graphs are sorted based on the matched percentage with the baseline graph. Graphs with high match percentage are displayed first in the list.

Enhancement: Test Metrics

• ‘Success’ and ‘Failure’ graphs are displayed for:
  • DNS / IMAP / POP3 / FTP Protocols
  • URL / Page / Transaction / Session Stats
• ‘Think Time’ graphs are displayed in Transaction Stats
• ‘Sum’ type graphs are displayed in HTTP / Page / Transaction

User Permission (Capabilities) Indication

This enhancement indicates the capabilities, which is assigned to a user so that user can have access to this information from all screens. For example, one of the capabilities in which guest user falls in is “ReadOnly”.

Now, the user is able to see the assigned capabilities in the Logged-in user’s button tool-tip.

If that user has multiple capabilities, it is displayed in a comma separated format.

Graph Sample Filters

A user can filter graph samples based on the filters defined for graphs (>=, <= and, In Between) in the Widget Settings window.

Import and Export in Alert Action and Policy

The Import and Export features are also provided for Alert Action and Alert Policy, which were earlier limited to Alert Rule, Alert Maintenance, and Alert Settings. This feature is used for exporting Alert Action and Policy from one machine and import it in another machine. It reduces the effort of adding same policy and action in machine.

Import: This feature is used to import data (policy and action) from server or the local machine. The changes can be viewed immediately after refreshing the UI.

Export: This feature is used to export data (policy and action) to local or other machines. Then, it can be imported to other machines to see the changes.

Location in Alert Email Subject and SNMP Trap

This feature is used for sending location in Alert Mail, SNMP Trap, and Cisco Spark. Regex is used to extract locations from Alert vectors.

Enhancements: Performance Dashboard

A user can update the Project details (upcoming, running projects, and release details) from the UI. The following operations can be performed:

• Add, delete, and update controller details
• Add, delete, and update environment details
• Add, delete, and update channel details for running projects, upcoming projects, and released projects

Alert Counters based on Business / Infra / Rule Level

A user can get alert counters based on Business / Infra / Rule Level in Monitors.

‘View by’ Option after Zooming the Graphs

When a user zooms any graph, ‘View by’ option along with time period is displayed.

Zoom Operation for derived Graph in Multi DC

A user can zoom in and zoom out a derived graph for Multi DC.

Open Merge with Pattern in Multi DC

In case of Multi DC, pattern support is provided in DC name for advance open / merge operation.

Compression in Multi DC

Compression on response size is applied to reduce its size in Multi DC.

Reporting

Enhancement: Date Parameter to the Subject Line in the Scheduler

A predefined variable is provided in Scheduler Report as ‘GenerationDateTime = $genDateTime’, which is used to pass the Date and Time when the report is generated. This predefined variable can be used in Subject or Body of the mail and is available in Hints section in Scheduler Report window. The date time format is in MM-DD-YYYY HH:mm:ss.

‘Selection Mode’ in Compare Report

In Compare Report, a heading named ‘Selection Mode’ is provided with a check box. This appends a check box preceding to each metric name, so that the user can perform further operations, such as view selected graphs, show selected, hide selected and so on.

NetOcean

Unique Names for Templates / Services

With this feature, automatic entries of the service and template names are provided based on the end point URL or anything unique from the request. This reduces the manual effort in making these entries.

Conversion of Text in ASCII in Binary Search Parameter

When a user clicks the ‘Binary’ check box in ‘Search’ parameter, it converts the ASCII String to Hexadecimal String and vice versa. It saves the Prefix / Suffix in ASCII string or Hexadecimal string according to the user requirement in Search parameter.

HPD Status in Global Status Bar

Global HPD Status bar displays the information about the current HPD Server status. Whenever the user clicks the global status bar, the latest HPD Server status is displayed in a pop-up window.

Enhancement: Changing Modes in RTC

With this enhancement, a user can apply RTC from:

1. Forward to simulate mode
2. Simulate to forward mode

Enhancement: Dataset Parameter

Earlier, a user had no option to ignore invalid data line in dataset parameter as well as index dataset parameter from the UI. An option is provided in UI to choose whether to ignore the invalid lines in file (in dataset and index dataset parameter) or display an error.

Implementation of Access Log for NetOcean Services in Forward Mode

This enhancement is done to support Access log for NetOcean services in forward mode. These two stats – ‘Service Stats’ and ‘Service HTTP Status Code’ are available in access_log file.

Addition of ‘Service Time’ Check Box

A ‘Service Time’ check box is added in ‘Service’ level and ‘Template’ level sections.

Monitors

Monitor UI

Enhancement: Monitor UI (Alert REST Stats Monitor)

A user can add Alert REST Stats monitor in Monitor UI. For a combination of rule, category, and level, the user can configure the monitor according to the requirement and can create their own GDF according to the configuration.

Editable Health Check Monitor Configuration

Health Check Monitor configuration is now editable while updating the information of any server. The user can edit tier, server, and health check type along with health check monitor configurations.

Disable System Health Check Monitor

With this enhancement, a user can disable health check by traversing through Scenario UI > Health Check Settings > Advanced Settings.

Window Monitor to Capture Network Throughput of Process

A window monitor is provided (for Registers) to capture network usage (TCP) of Domain and Process(s). Cavisson windows machine agent is used with the Registers to provide monitoring of various aspects like System, Application, Peripherals.

The following network activities are captured:

• Network Throughput Per Process
• Network Throughput Per Domain

Live Monitoring for JIRA through JMX Interface

‘JIRA Monitor’ is created for live monitoring of JIRA through JMX interface. This monitor captures JIRA server stats. The basic use of JIRA tool is to track issue and bugs related to software and mobile applications.

Option to Edit Monitor Group Details

With this feature, a user can edit monitor group details, such as monitor group name and description by clicking the ‘Edit’ icon in the ‘Action’ column of the monitor group.

Enhancement: Monitor for Hive and History servers

A new monitor is added to support Hive and History Servers. These servers, which are new stats of Hadoop, are responsible for servicing all the job history related requests from client.

MSSQL

Aggregated Stats for MSSQL Session Window

In MSSQL Session Window, an aggregate option (as a toggle key) is provided to view session data in aggregate mode. A user can analyze the following details by clicking ‘Session ID’:

• Wait Stats, which provide the information of all the waits encountered by the threads executed for each session.
• Session Stats, which provide the information of all the active user connections and internal tasks.
• SQL Plan, which displays the query execution plan that consists of cost and weightage of the query.
• SQL Query, which is now displayed within ‘SQL Session Wait Statistics’ for performance improvement.

Custom Queries in MSSQL Server

A ‘Query Execution’ tab is added in DB Monitoring so that a user can execute custom queries without accessing the DB server.

PostgreSQL

Parsing of Query Execution Plan

Parsing of Query Execution Plan is implemented for the xml plan fetched from queries executed on PostgreSQL. Postgres SQL monitor is to fetch query execution plan data from system tables and views for proactive performance monitor and to provide recommendation to resolve slowness of query.

Capturing of PostgreSQL Query Execution Stats in Machine Agent

This enhancement is same as previous one. The only difference is Agent type. The previous enhancement is for machine agent (for Windows server) while this one is for machine agent (for Linux server).

NetStorm

Script

‘Scenario Profile’ Option

Scenario Profile option is provided in Script. A user can add advanced settings from that Scenario Profile in Script, which were not present there earlier. The user can browse and select scenario profile to add in testScript Scenario.

Highlighting Missing API Close Brackets in Script Compilation

Earlier, during script compilation if there was any syntax error in multiline API, like if ‘);’ was left in multiline API, NetStorm used to skip that without throwing any compilation error. Now, NetStorm highlights an error for the same.

Migration to New Version of Script Editor

Script Editor version has been revised. It also supports breakpoint application. Breakpoint can be applied on clicking left bar of line numbers pane.

Recording Browser Upgradation

Version of the recording browser of NetStorm (JXBrowser) is upgraded to 6.22 from 6.20.

Parameterization in LB and RB of Search parameter

A drop-down list of parameters is provided in Search parameter UI for the parameterization of LB and RB.

Combination of Static and Dynamic Values using Parameterization in LB / RB

Using this feature, a user can apply static and dynamic values (using parameterization) in Left Boundary (LB) and Right Boundary (RB) for all Parameters at a time in the same UI.

IBM MQ Consumer API / Script

A Java based IBM MQ Consumer NS API is provided, which consumes messages from the specified server. This is used to create a consume API in Java for consuming all the messages from IBM MQ server. IBM MQ is a messaging server, which can produce and consume messages from and to different applications.

Scenario

JMeter Settings

To run JMeter, a user requires heap size. With this feature, the user can set minimum and maximum heap sizes for running JMeter type scripts. This option is visible to the user only when JMeter is installed on the machine.

Enhancement: Setting of Trace Limit

This allows a user to configure number of parameters per page and maximum length of the parameter value that can be viewed in page dump. In Group Based setting > Logs and Reports, ‘Max Trace Entries’ and ‘Max Trace Length’ are added under Trace Limit. In addition, ‘Trace Page, if header octet stream found in Response’ option is added under Trace Session.

Enhancement: Error due to Duplicate Usage of Same PDF File

Earlier, in Percentile data, if a user selected same PDF for more than one case, no error message was displayed. Now, when the user uses the same PDF for more than one case, NetStorm throws an error while starting the test.

VUser(s) Management Enhancements

Earlier, when number of VUsers increased / decreased, no changes were reflected in VUsers list after applying RTC. To get the updated list, a user was required to click the group name and refresh manually. Now, any change in the VUsers count is updated automatically after applying RTC.

Display of Group Based IP Addresses

There is a scenario that multiple scripts are using a single assigned IP. In order to get the correct analysis, all of these scripts are grouped under a single request group.

Group Based Sessions in Single Scenario

Earlier, a group based scenario ran in one mode either ‘Session’ mode or ‘Duration’ mode. Now, the user can use session mode and duration mode both for different groups in a single scenario.

Auto Scale Cleanup Setting

With this setting, a user can perform auto scale cleanup from UI. A new GDF is created on partition switch and a message is sent to get inactive node to NDC in specified time interval.

NetCloud

Enhancement: Shared Memory Maximum Value

The maximum value of shared memory is increased with the following criteria:

• For machines with RAM less than 96GB, maximum value of shared memory is 16GB and shared memory all is 32GB.
• For machines with RAM 96GB or more, maximum value of shared memory is 25GB and shared memory all is 50GB.

Note: Shared memory all (Shmall) sets the total amount of shared memory pages that can be used system wide, in pages.

NetForest

Enhancement: ‘Append’ Query

This appends the result of a sub-search to the current result. The append command runs only over historical data and does not produce correct results if used in a real-time search.

Disable ‘_all’ Field

NFDB uses ‘_all’ field whenever a user queries a string. It concatenates the query into a big string and searches it in all the fields present in the document. Due to this, the disk space is overused unnecessarily. To avoid this, whenever the user queries a text without field name, it appends ‘message:’ in front of the text. This reduces the time to search query result.

Enhancement: Multi-Value Constructs

• Nomv Construct: This construct is used to convert multivalue field into single value field.
• Makemv Construct: This construct is used to convert single value field into multivalue field. When ‘makemv’ operation is performed on any single-valued field separated by any delimeter, it converts the values into array format.
•  Mvexpand Construct: This construct is used to expand values of a multi-value field into separate events, such that the result contains one event for each value in the multi-value field.
• Mvcombine Construct: This construct is used to group multiple events, which are identical except for the specified field, which contain a single value. The resultant of this operation is a single event in which specified field becomes a multi-value field.

RBU-NVSM

NetTest

Selector Based on Attributes of DOM Element for Click & Script

Earlier, ID, XPATH, CLASS, DOMString, and CSSPath were supported. Now, some more HTML element attributes, such as name, textContent, alt, src, title and href as selectors are supported.

RBU

Enhancement: Accessibility of an Element

An element, which is inside the canvas, is not accessible through selectors, such as ID, XPATH, CLASS, DOMString, CSSPath and HTML attributes (name, src, href, alt, title and textContent). But now it is accessible by providing the element’s X-Y co-ordinates, and click action can be performed.

Enhancement: Proxy Setup

Earlier, a user was not able to perform proxy configurations for a particular test, but now user can configure proxy for a particular test and access proxy enabled environment / website.

Differentiation of Device Information Based on User Agent

Earlier, ‘Device Info’ was irrespective of ‘Host Name’. Now, ‘Device Info’ is based on ‘Host Name’, that is, For ‘Host Name’: m.cavisson.com, ‘Device info’: Mobile:Chrome68.

‘Group’ Column in Page Average Report along with Filter Option

Earlier, ‘Group’ column was not present in Page Average report along with filter option. Now, the user can apply group based filters in case numerous pages are hit in the test.

NVSM

Performance Trace Dump (JSProfiler)

Earlier, the performance testing and analysis of asynchronous code was difficult. This process becomes easier by using Chrome DevTool Performance feature that provides an insight of how many microseconds the CPU spent for each script, function, and its children. The information provided by Chrome DevTool Performance feature is integrated with RBU and is represented on UI.

Monitor Design

In Synthetic Monitoring UI, Monitor Design is displayed instead of Test Design.

Chromium Version

Upgrading of Chromium version to 68 from 60.

Session Retry

Under ‘Miscellaneous’ tab, a new feature (Session Retry) is provided where a user can configure multiple groups and specific group based setting. Value for that setting can be provided from there itself.

NetVision

Thick Net SDK for Windows Presentation Framework

With the help of C# SDK, a user can monitor and capture user activity, capture the snapshot, device crashes, all the AJAX requests, and other events of desktop application of windows presentation framework.

Hybrid Application Support in Android SDK

In previous android SDK, the performance of webView was not captured or monitored, only the performance of native app was monitored. In this version of Android SDK, the performance of web pages is also captured and monitored. There is a synchronized communication between Android SDK and Android web pages while switching from one web page to another.

Resource Monitoring Support in Android SDK

Earlier, the resource monitor was not supported in Andorid SDK, but now NV supports Resource Health Monitor and SDK captures all the stats, such as Batterylevel, RAMavailable, RAMTotal, RAMUsed, ROMavailable, ROMTotal, ROMUsed, CPUFrequency, NetworkRecivedbytes, NetworkTransmitBytes, WifiSignalStrength, WifiLinkSpeed, and CPUusedPercentage.

‘async’ Attribute in NV Agent Script Tag

‘async’ attribute is provided in NV Agent script tag that helps in loading scripts asynchronously with other web elements to minimize page load time. If ‘async’ is present, the script executes asynchronously with the rest of the page (the script is executed while the page continues the parsing).

Bug Fixes

The following issues are fixed in 4.1.14.