Create Tosca Distributed Execution configurations

You can specify which Tosca Distribution Agents should execute the ExecutionLists in your TestEvent.

To do so, you need to use configurations. A configuration defines which hardware or software is required to execute a certain ExecutionList.

Default configurations

By default, Tosca offers the following configurations:

Configuration

Description

Any

All Agents.

By default, the Tosca Distribution (DEX) Server hands any TestEvent to any available Agent.

However, Execution Agents cannot execute Classic tests (see chapter "Work with Tosca Distribution Agents").

If your tests contain Classic TestSteps, you must turn on the setting Check for Legacy Steps. In this case, the DEX Server checks the TestEvent before distributing it. If it contains any Classic TestSteps, the server forwards the TestEvent only to Agents with a full installation of Tosca Commander.

RDP

All Agents configured for Unattended Execution.

SupportsClassic

Only Agents with a full installation of Tosca Commander.

The same Agent may be listed in several configuration categories.

For example, an Agent with a full installation of Tosca Commander that you have configured for Unattended Execution belongs to all three configuration categories.

Custom configurations

You can create custom configurations based on your own test criteria.

For instance, you can create a configuration exclusively for Agents with Firefox installed. Or a configuration for Agents running on Windows 10, with 32 GB of memory.

To do so, follow the workflow outlined below. The subsequent chapters describe each step in detail.

  1. Set parameters on the DEX Server. These parameters are the criteria you will later use in your configurations.

  2. Apply the parameters to your Agents. This specifies which Agent fits the criteria.

  3. Create your custom configuration in Tosca Commander.

Set parameters on the DEX Server

To set parameters on the server, you have the following options:

  • You can create entirely new parameters.

  • You can change the values of the default parameters OperatingSystem, Memory, OperatingSystemType, IPAddress, and HostName.

    For instance, the default values for Memory are 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB. You can change or delete values, or you can add an additional value option for this parameter.

Create a new parameter

To create an entirely new parameter, follow the steps below:

  1. On the DEX Server machine, access the file ConfigurationParameters.xml. By default, this file is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\TRICENTIS\Tosca Server\DEXServer\bin.

    The system creates the file once the DEX Server is started for the first time.

  1. Add the new parameter. It's easiest to copy and paste an existing parameter and then adapt it to your needs.

    The example below shows how to create a parameter for Agents with Firefox installed:

Copy
<TestConfigurationParameter>
    <Name>FirefoxInstalled</Name>
    <Comment></Comment>
    <TestConfigurationParameterValues>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>1</Key>
            <Value>Yes</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>2</Key>
            <Value>No</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
    </TestConfigurationParameterValues>
</TestConfigurationParameter>

Change existing parameters

To change an existing parameter, follow the steps below:

  1. On the DEX Server machine, access the file ConfigurationParameters.xml. By default, this file is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\TRICENTIS\Tosca Server\DEXServer\bin.

    The system creates the file once the DEX Server is started for the first time.

  1. Modify the value of the respective parameter.

    In the example below, you have changed one of the default values for the parameter Memory from 32GB to 64GB. Additionally, you have added an additional value option: 70GB.

Copy
<TestConfigurationParameter>
    <Name>Memory</Name>
    <Comment></Comment>
    <TestConfigurationParameterValues>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>1</Key>
            <Value>2 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>2</Key>
            <Value>4 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>3</Key>
            <Value>8 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>4</Key>
            <Value>16 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>5</Key>
            <Value>64 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
        <TestConfigurationParameterValue>
            <Key>5</Key>
            <Value>70 GB</Value>
        </TestConfigurationParameterValue>
    </TestConfigurationParameterValues>
</TestConfigurationParameter>

Apply server parameters to Agents

Next, you need to specify which Agent fits the criteria you have just set on the DEX Server.

To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. On the respective Agent machine, stop and start your Agent (see chapter "Work with Tosca Distribution Agents").

  2. Open the Distributed Execution Monitor.

  3. Switch to the Agent View.

  4. Select the Machine tab.

    • If you changed or added values of an existing parameter on the DEX Server, select the new value from the parameter drop-down menu.

    • If you created an entirely new parameter, this parameter shows as a separate field. Select the required value from the parameter drop-down menu.

Specify that this Agent fits the parameter FirefoxInstalled

  1. Click Save to save your changes.

Create custom configurations

So far, you have set criteria on the DEX Server and then defined which Agents fit these criteria.

Now you need to create a custom configuration in Tosca Commander. With this configuration, you define which combination of criteria you want to apply.

To create a configuration, follow the steps below:

  1. In Tosca Commander, check out the project root element.

  2. Get the parameter information from the DEX Server into Tosca Commander:

    • Go to the Execution section.

    • Right-click Configurations and select Update configurations from Server from the context menu.

Update Tosca Commander with the server parameters

  1. Create a new configuration. Right-click Configurations and select Create New Configuration from the mini toolbar.

  2. In the Properties pane of the configuration, choose which criteria you want to use. To do so, select a value from the Value drop-down menu of the respective parameter(s).

    If a parameter value is blank, the parameter is not part of the configuration.

Create a configuration for the criteria "Has Firefox installed"

  1. Update the view and display all Agents in their proper configurations. To do so, right-click Configurations and select Refresh Agents from the context menu.

Once you have created your custom configuration, you can assign it to your TestEvent.

When you execute this TestEvent, the DEX Server forwards it to all Agents that match the criteria.

Modify configurations

You can modify configurations. The process depends on what you want to change:

  • Do you want entirely new parameters or additional parameter values in your configuration?

    In this case, you need to set them on the DEX Server and the Agents first.

    Only then can you modify the configuration in Tosca Commander.

  • Do you want to change the configuration to parameters or parameter values that already exist on the DEX Server and Agents?

    In this case, you only have to modify the configuration in Tosca Commander.

Modify the configuration in Tosca Commander

To modify a configuration, follow the steps below:

  1. In Tosca Commander, check out the project root element.

  2. Get the updated parameter information from the DEX Server into Tosca Commander:

    • Go to the Execution section.

    • Right-click Configurations and select Update configurations from Server from the context menu.

  1. Select the configuration that you want to modify.

  2. In the Properties pane of the configuration, make your modifications:

    • To add or change parameters, select a value from the respective Value drop-down menu.

      Let's say your configuration has the parameter Memory with the value 32GB. However, the TestEvent should only run on Agents with 64 GB. In this case, select 64GB from the Memory drop-down.

    • If you want to remove a parameter from the configuration, delete the value of the respective parameter.

      Let's say your configuration has the parameter OperatingSystemType, which you no longer need in this particular configuration. In this case, delete the value of OperatingSystemType.

  1. Update the view and display all Agents in their proper configurations. To do so, right-click Configurations and select Refresh Agents from the context menu.