Configure the Linux source machine for network monitoring

This task describes how to configure a Linux source machine before running the network monitor.

1. Assign permissions where LoadRunner Professional is installed locally.

   Follow these steps to assign root permissions to the merc_webtrace process:

   1. Log in to the source machine as root.

   2. Type: cd <LoadRunner Professional root>/bin to change to the bin folder.

   3. Type: chown root merc_webtrace to make the root user the owner of the merc_webtrace file.

   4. Type: chmod +s merc_webtrace to add the s-bit to the file permissions.

   5. To verify, type ls -l merc_webtrace. The permissions should look like this: -rwsrwsr-x.

2. Assign permissions where LoadRunner Professional is installed on the network.

   In a LoadRunner Professional network installation, the merc_webtrace process is on the network, not on the source machine disk. The following procedure copies the merc_webtrace file to the local disk, configures mdrv.dat to recognize the process, and assigns root permissions to merc_webtrace:

   1. Copy merc_webtrace from <LoadRunner Professional root>/bin to anywhere on the local disk of the source machine. For example, to copy the file to the /local/<LoadRunner Professional> folder, type:

      cp /net/tools/LoadRunner_installation/bin/merc_webtrace /local/<LoadRunner>

      Note: All of the source machines that use the same network installation must copy merc_webtrace to the identical folder path on their local disk (for example, /local/<LoadRunner>), since all of them use the same mdrv.dat.

   2. Add the following line to the <LoadRunner Professional root>/dat/mdrv. file, in the [monitors_server] section:

      ExtCmdLine=-merc_webtrace_path /local/xxx

   3. Log in to the source machine as root.

   4. Type: cd LoadRunner root/bin to change to the bin folder.

   5. Type: chown root merc_webtrace to make the root user the owner of the merc_webtrace file.

   6. Type: chmod +s merc_webtrace to add the s-bit to the file permissions.

   7. To verify, type ls -l merc_webtrace. The permissions should look like:
      -rwsrwsr-x.

3. Connect to the Linux Source Machine through rsh.

   Follow these instructions if Controller is connected to the source machine through rsh (default connection mode). In this case you do not need to activate the agent daemon.

   Before running the Network monitor the first time, you enter an encrypted user name and password in the Network monitor configuration file.

   1. Open Password Encoder from the Windows Start menu.

   2. In the Password Encoder window Password box, type your RSH user name and password, separated by a vertical bar symbol. For example, myname|mypw.

   3. Click Generate. An encoded string is displayed in the Encoded string field.

   4. Click Copy to copy the encoded string to the clipboard.

   5. Add the following line to the <LoadRunner Professional root>/dat/monitors/ndm.cfg file, in the [hosts] section:

      Host = <encrypted string copied from clipboard>

   6. Close and open the current scenario. LoadRunner Professional reads the updated configuration file and recognizes the source machine for monitoring.

4. Connect to the Linux Source Machine through the Agent

   Follow these instructions for activating agent daemon on the source machine if the Controller is not connected to the source machine through rsh.

   1. Type m_daemon_setup -install from the <LoadRunner Professional root>/bin folder.

   2. Make sure that the agent daemon is running whenever you activate the Network monitor.

   3. To stop the Network Delay Monitor agent daemon, type m_daemon_setup -remove.

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