Apache

Configuration

Monitoring an Apache server requires the mod_status module, which publishes a dynamic page containing the server performance counters.

Apache monitors allow monitoring any server that publishes a web page in the compatible format. Whatever the application or application server (J2EE, PHP, .Net...), it is necessary to develop a specific page in order to publish the custom counters. For more information, see Use custom counters.

Configure the Apache server

For NeoLoad to be able to retrieve data from an Apache server, the mod_status module must be enabled. To do this, it is necessary to edit the httpd.conf file and include the commented out line:

LoadModule status_module modules/mod_status.so

To restrict access to the status report to machines on the foo.com domain, the following code must be added to the httpd.conf configuration file:

<Location /server-status>
SetHandler server-status
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
Allow from .foo.com
</Location>

Enabling extended statistics is recommended. This is done by editing the ExtendedStatus setting in the httpd.conf file.

To check the Apache configuration, access the address http://<your.server.name>/server-status from the NeoLoad Controller machine. A page with the Apache server statistics should be displayed.

Configure the Nginx server

For NeoLoad to be able to retrieve data from a Nginx server, the HttpStubStatusModule module must be enabled. This module provides the ability to get some status from Nginx:

• Number of all open connections

• Statistics about accepted connections

• Connections per second and so on

To do this, it is necessary to edit the nginx.conf file:

# vi nginx.conf

The following code must be added or appended in context location:

location /nginx_status {
# Turn on stats
stub_status on;
access_log   off;
# only allow access from 192.168.1.5 #
allow 192.168.1.5;
deny all;
}

The file must be saved and closed before reloading the Nginx server:

# service nginx reload

or

# nginx -s reload

To check the Nginx configuration, access the address http://<your.server.name>/nginx_status from the NeoLoad Controller machine. A page with the Nginx server statistics should be displayed.

Use custom counters

To monitor a server other than an Apache, it is necessary to develop a page containing the counters to be monitored. This page must return the data in the format name: value, the value being numeric.

Example:

nameCounter1: 10
nameCounter2: -23.567
nameCounter2: +17.33
...

During the monitoring phase, NeoLoad queries the server regularly and records the counters values.

Connection settings

The monitor definition requires a server (defined in the Servers section of the User Paths) and a path. A server can be created in the Servers section, or one already created during a recording can be used.

Create an Apache monitor

NeoLoad makes it possible to create a new monitor either using the monitored machine creation wizard, as described in Configure a monitored machine, or from an existing monitored machine, as described in Create and configure a monitor

Available counters

Advanced settings are available for all HTTP monitors. These settings determine how the monitor values are calculated and sampled.

Apache Web server

When extended statistics are enabled (ExtendedStatus setting in the httpd.conf file set to On), the available counters are:

• Total Accesses. Total access count since the server started

• Total kBytes. Total volume delivered in bytes since the server started

• Uptime. Time during which the server was running

• ReqPerSec. Average number of requests per second since the server started

• BytesPerSec. Average number of bytes delivered per second

• BytesPerReq. Average number of bytes per request

Default counters are:

• BusyWorkers. Number of child processes actively processing requests

• %BusyWorkers. Percentage of the number of child processes actively processing requests

• IdleWorkers. Number of child processes idle

Other Web servers

The available counters are those that follow the counterName: counterValue syntax and whose value is an integer or a real number.