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Summary
eValid technology brings a fundamentally different
method to the job of analyzing a WebSite.
This page is an informal description of how eValid works.
What eValid Is?
First and foremost, eValid is a browser.
Everything eValid does in analyzing a WebSite
is done automatically within eValid from the point of view of a user.
eValid works on "event triggers" within the browser.
eValid was built as a browser from the ground up,
and is 100% compatible with the IE 5.50/6.0+ browsers.
What eValid Is Not
eValid is not a wrapper on a browser.
eValid is not an intercept [passive tap]
on the HTTP protocol between a browser and a server.
eValid is not a server-side appliance.
eValid is not a plug-in to a browser.
Recording
eValid intercepts user interaction events
and makes note of their effect
before passing the request on to the browser function for action.
All the data needed
to describe what is to be done during test
playback
is put in the eValid script file.
The recorded script file also includes
data for validation of the playback
(regression testing),
window and frame information,
and
data for a wide range of input fields.
Playback Process
During playback
eValid reads commands from the script file,
interprets what they are asking for,
and then takes the appropriate action.
eValid, because it is a complete web browser,
retains all browser state information that was
accumulated from prior commands.
Results from each action are written to
a series of log files
that can be interpreted in a variety of ways.
To maximize the utility of playback scripts
there is an adaptive playback feature
that keeps the playback proceeding
even if there are inconsequential changes in the underlying WebSite.
Synchronization
Synchronization in eValid playback is automatic
for almost all of your testing of a WebSite.
In cases where
the amount of time an action takes is not part of page browsing,
or involves special operations such as picture download,
eValid has a range of auxiliary synchronization methods built in.
There are also ways to provide
playback synchronization with external events.
eValid includes methods to prevent
two [or more] eValids that are playing back at the same time
from interfering with each other.
Page Timing/Tuning
eValid has a 1.0 msec (millisecond) resolution timer built in.
To find out about page download times,
eValid takes control of the download process and of the browser cache.
Every page component is timed based on
when the complete page or component appears.
Total page timing results also include final rendering time.
Creating Server Loads
eValid's method of creating loads uses multiple parallel eValid playbacks.
To generate the load for 25 users,
for example, eValid launches 25 copies of itself,
with each one given specifics on what script to play,
what parameters to apply,
and how the scenario groups are composed.
Server loads produced this way are
very realistic because
each sub-eValid is executing a separate, independent session.
For convenience and for special purposes
there is variable fidelity possible in the playbacks.
There's no limit (other than machine capacity)
on the number of eValids
that can run on one machine.
Site Analysis
eValid's built-in web spider always starts its search on the page
you have the eValid browser currently pointed to.
The search engine examines every link on the page, every link
on those pages, etc.
It can map any WebSite it can see:
live on the web, extranets, and intranets.
Every time eValid reads a new page it applies a set of analysis filters
to the page that look for such factors as availability,
total download time,
page size or complexity or age, and specific content.
Reports of what it finds as it maps a site show up on the screen
in separate reports generated in real time.
Monitoring
In its role as a monitoring agent, eValid is superior because
the monitoring playback is 100% realistic,
makes no approximations,
can handle any WebSite reachable over the Web
and is 100% repeatable.
A range of monitoring features is built in to the product,
but eValid can also be used embedded as an agent within other's WebSite monitoring solutions.
Protocols, Server Technology
eValid is 100% client side and handles all web protocols that
are handled by
IE 5.50/6.0+.
eValid handles secure sessions,
signed sessions,
Java Applets,
JavaScript,
FLASH objects,
ActiveX controls,
XML,
modal dialogs,
subsidiary browser windows.
If IE 5.50/6.0+ can do it, eValid can do it too.
Test Management, Test Data Generation
Suites of tests that eValid can run are kept under
the built-in eValid test management system, eV.Manger.
These tests can include a mix of functional tests,
timing tests, and load tests.
Scripts can be parameterized,
and can invoke one another,
There are powerful built-in facilities
for automatic creation of test data from static selections or based
on random values.
