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 Create and 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. For more information, see Advanced settings - Counter/Indicator.

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.