Load testing using multiple agents

You can use Yandex Load Testing to test the service with multiple testing agents.

Load testing using multiple agents is used when:

• The testing target includes several instances, and the total inbound and outgoing traffic from them doesn't exceed the capacity of one agent.
• The requests being sent to the testing target require large computing capacity.
• Using a testing target is much more effective than a load generator.

Agents start and apply the load on the testing target synchronously. The testing results are available as generalized and independent reports on each agent.

To run the load testing using multiple agents:

1. Prepare your cloud.
2. Prepare the infrastructure.
3. Create a test agent.
4. Run a test.
5. View the testing results.

If you no longer need the resources you created, delete them.

Getting startedGetting started

Sign up for Yandex Cloud and create a billing account:

1. Go to the management console and log in to Yandex Cloud or create an account if you do not have one yet.
2. On the Yandex Cloud Billing page, make sure you have a billing account linked and it has the ACTIVE or TRIAL_ACTIVE status. If you do not have a billing account, create one.

If you have an active billing account, you can go to the cloud page to create or select a folder for your infrastructure to operate in.

Learn more about clouds and folders.

Required paid resourcesRequired paid resources

If the agent is hosted on Yandex Cloud, a fee is charged for computing resources (see Yandex Compute Cloud pricing).

At the Preview stage, Load Testing can be used free of charge.

Prepare the infrastructurePrepare the infrastructure

Create a service accountCreate a service account

1. Create a service account named sa-loadtest in the folder where you are going to place agents.
2. Assign the service account the loadtesting.generatorClient role.

Configure a networkConfigure a network

Set up an NAT gateway in the subnet where you are going to place your agents. This ensures the agents have access to Load Testing.

Configure the security groupConfigure the security group

1. For the agents, create a security group named agent-sg.
2. Add rules:

   • Rule for outgoing HTTPS traffic to the Yandex Load Testing public API:

     • Port range: 443.
     • Protocol: TCP.
     • Destination name: CIDR.
     • CIDR blocks: 0.0.0.0/0.

     This will enable you to connect the agent to Load Testing so as to control the tests from the interface and get the test results.

   • A rule for outgoing HTTP traffic when generating load to the test target:

     • Port range: 80.
     • Protocol: TCP.
     • Destination name: CIDR.
     • CIDR blocks: 0.0.0.0/0.

     This enables the agents to apply the load on the testing target.

   • Rules for incoming SSH-traffic:

     • Port range: 22.
     • Protocol: TCP.
     • Destination name: CIDR.
     • CIDR blocks: 0.0.0.0/0.

     This lets you connect to the agent over SSH and control tests from the console or collect debugging information.

In this example, the load will be applied to an external service named example.myservice.ru. For more information about setting up security groups for testing the services running inside the cloud, see:

• Configuring test agent security groups.
• Configuring test target security groups.

Create test agentsCreate test agents

1. If you do not have an SSH key pair yet, create them.

2. Create the first agent:

   Management console

   1. In the management console, select the folder where you want to create your agent.

   2. In the list of services, select Load Testing.

   3. In the Agents tab, click Create agent.

   4. Give your agent a name, e.g., agent-008.

   5. Select an availability zone to place the agent in.

   6. Under Agent:

      • Select the appropriate agent type. For more information, see Agent performance.
      • Specify the subnet to place the agent in. Make sure you created and set up a NAT gateway in the subnet.
      • If security groups are available to you, select a security group preset for the agent.

   7. Under Access, specify the information required to access the agent:

      • Select the sa-loadtest service account.

      • Enter the username in the Login field.

        Alert

        Do not use the root username or other names reserved by the operating system. To perform operations that require superuser permissions, use the sudo command.

      • In the SSH key field, paste the contents of the public key file.

   8. Click Create.

   9. Wait for the VM instance to create. Make sure the agent status changes to Ready for test.

      Note

      The agent creation process may stop at the Initializing connection status unless the following conditions are met:

      • The agent has access to loadtesting.api.cloud.yandex.net:443 and is assigned a public IP address.
      • A NAT gateway is set up in the target subnet.
      • The service account assigned to the agent has the required roles.

3. Create the second agent named agent-009.

If you need to connect to the agents over SSH, assign to them a public IP address.

Run a testRun a test

View the testing resultsView the testing results

How to delete the resources you createdHow to delete the resources you created

To stop paying for the resources created, delete the testing agents.