Network Configuration
Firewall Protected Server
Firewalls complicate the testing procedure, both because they are barriers and because the performance of the firewall is unknown and therefore throws some level of uncertainty into the results. As a practical matter, however, Firewall performance only becomes an issue at very high loads, i.e. several thousands of simultaneous virtual users.
Type 1
The most common use of the firewall is to protect the web server by preventing all but basic HTTP access. The configuration shown below doesn't change the remote access situation if Web Performance Trainer™ is generating the virtual users remotely. The virtual users will access the web server just like any other user that is being let through the firewall to access the web server.
Type 2
The second type of firewall configuration is where a virtual user generating engine is placed behind a firewall. This configuration is useful when a testing team at one corporate site is testing a private corporate intranet site at a remote corporate site.
Web Performance Trainer™ Version 2.3 supports remote controlling a single load generating engine; support for control of multiple engines is coming in an upcoming release.
