Foglight Transaction Recorder 5.6.13

Overview of Foglight synthetic monitoring

Foglight’s synthetic monitoring solution consists of the following products:

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Foglight Transaction Recorder. The Foglight Transaction Recorder is a Windows-based application used for the creation of scripts that model an end-user’s actions against a monitored server environment. After download and installation, the Foglight Transaction Recorder records scripts in a graphical environment resembling an internet browser. Once recorded and played back, the user can set expected times that help determine acceptable time frames the script and parts of the script can run within. When the scripts are played back and configured satisfactorily, they are published to Foglight.

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Foglight Transaction Recorder Advanced (provided by Tevron® CitraTest®). Foglight Transaction Recorder Advanced is used when the applications being driven are thick client (not Web-based), or are Web-based and contain applets or objects not handled natively by the Foglight Transaction Recorder.


	NOTE: CitraTest version 751e1 is required for thick client monitoring.

A script created by CitraTest is inserted into the Foglight Transaction Recorder with a special instruction. After playing this instruction, all of the results generated by Foglight Transaction Recorder Advanced are merged with all scripts results. These results are then used as any other instructions in the setup and calculation of expected times as described above.


	NOTE: The Foglight Transaction Recorder Getting Started Guide provides recording procedures for thick and thin clients. To access this guide, click Start > All Programs > Quest Software > Foglight Transaction Recorder > Getting Started.

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Foglight Transaction Player. The Foglight Transaction Player is a Foglight Agent used to playback the scripts recorded by Foglight Transaction Recorder/Advanced. The player requires agent supporting files to be downloaded and installed from the Foglight Management Server.

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Foglight. In Foglight, scripts or services are configured into a Service Group that defines the application. These Service Groups are then assigned to a Transaction Player agent to be played back at defined intervals, reporting their timings back to Foglight. These timings, using the advanced rules engine of Foglight, are then compared to the expected times initially set in the recording of the scripts, but can be overridden on the server. The rules engine can take any defined action based on the results.

Figure 1. Synthetic Monitoring Diagram

Use the Foglight Transaction Recorder

The Foglight Transaction Recorder allows you to create scripts to discover Response Time Management (RTM) and Service Level Agreement (SLA) problems before they affect end users. Service level objective times can be compared, showing actual response time versus expected response time to provide feedback when response time degrades. The Foglight Transaction Recorder has the same look and feel of a common Internet browser. The major difference is that the Foglight Transaction Recorder captures and records clicks or actions you make when navigating a Web site. The Foglight Transaction Recorder graphical user interface provides the following windows:

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Figure 2. Foglight Transaction Recorder user interface windows

For more information, see the following topics:

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Create, publish scripts, and publish to Foglight

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Shortcut keys

Script window

The Script Window displays each recorded instruction (click or key entry) made during the recording process. As you click through a Web site, additional icons display in the Script window, representing each user action.

Figure 3. Script window

The Script Window toolbar allows you to edit instructions.

Cuts a selected instruction.

Copies a selected instruction.

Pastes a copied or cut instruction.

Deletes a selected instruction.

Moves an item up.

Moves an item down.

Inserts a transaction.

Launches the Insert Wizard.

Inserts Validation Rules.

Inserts a break point.

Properties window


	NOTE: When using script properties, if the domain field is left blank, it will default to the computer name, which makes the user a local machine user. Users should be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer.

The Properties window is where individual instruction and script properties are displayed and edited. The properties in the Properties window are grouped by Browser Instructions, HTML Elements, External Scripting, Special, and Network Diagnostics. Properties found in the Common properties are common to all instructions and scripts. Instruction properties are common to all instructions. HTML Element properties are common to all instruction properties that require an HTML element to act against, such as a click instruction or set input instruction.

Figure 4. Properties Window