After installation, StresStimulus operates as a Designer and Controller. To instantiate a Load Agent or a computer, enable Agent Mode after installing StresStimulus.


Note: To avoid controller-agent compatibility issues, the same StresStimulus version must be installed on all machines that participated in a test.


To enable Agent mode:

1. Bring up Agent Options dialog:

      • Standalone version: in Main Menu -> Edit -> Agent Options
      • add-on version: in Main Menu -> StresStimulus -> Agent Options

2. Check Enable Agent Mode.

3. A popup will appear asking if you are sure you wish to create an Agent. Click OK to confirm.

4. Select one of two available options:

      • Agent will run as application. The agent will run a StresStimulus application or Fiddler add-on. Before starting the test, the StresStimulus must be manually launched. During the test run, graphs and run-time monitor will be visible on the Agent, so while all interactive UI controls will be disabled, you can visually monitor how the agent participates in the distributed test.
      • Agent will run as a Windows service. The agent will run inside a Windows Service. By default, StresStimulus Agent service will start automatically. In this mode, the agent has no UI. This agent mode uses less hardware resources and has the capacity to emulate about 20% more VUs.

5. Then, give the agent host a name and specify a listening port. The default port is 49998. The port can't be changed for agents that run as a service and will always be 49998.

6. Enable PerfMon Agent to monitor the performance of the Load Agent machine via the Internet. For more, click here. If the Load Agent machine is connected via LAN/WAN/VPN, you can monitor its performance without enabling PerfMon Agent.

7. Click OK when finished. The StresStimulus status bar will display StresStimulus Load Agent.

Unlike the controller, which requires a serial number, agents do not require activation. With the Enterprise / SP Edition license, you can install as many load agents as you need.

Recording and configuring test cases and starting tests are disabled in Agent mode.


Once the agent is created, go to the controller and attach the agent.

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