Unboxing HPE LoadRunner 12.55 Wait is over. HPE LoadRunner 12.55 has been released with many features and enhancements. I am going to cover all the new and noteworthy of HPE LoadRunner 12.55 in this article. Also, over next couple weeks, I am going to publish video series about HPE LoadRunner 12.55 in my YouTube channel. Please subscribe now to get instant notification. Let us unbox HPE LoadRunner 12.55 Community Edition.

Before you install HPE LoadRunner 12.55

I have already published a detailed video about how to do clean uninstallation of HPE LoadRunner 12.55. It is much important to uninstall previous versions of LoadRunner before you upgrade to HPE LoadRunner 12.55. Here is the video:

Pro Tip : Make sure that you are restarting your laptop after the clean uninstallation of the previous version of LoadRunner

How to install HPE LoadRunner 12.55?

I have also published a step-by-step guide about how to install HPE LoadRunner 12.55 in my YouTube channel. Please watch that as well.

Pro Tip: Always Run as Administrator while installing the executable file. Also, launch HPE components with administrator privileges.

Unboxing HPE LoadRunner 12.55

Let us start with what’s new in the technologies and platform. HPE LoadRunner 12.55 now supports Windows 10 (Creators update), Windows Server 2016, and Ubuntu 16.04. Also, it supports 64-bit version Eclipse and Visual Studio, Neon 2 version, NUnit 3.2 Test Adapter. TruClient now supports Chromium 55.

Pro Tip: Here is the link to see detailed System Requirements previously known as Product Availability Matrix.

JMeter tests support

This feature comes as a surprise. Believe it or not, now you can execute JMeter tests in HPE LoadRunner. Cool, isn’t it? Do not ask me, why we need LoadRunner to execute JMeter tests. May be it is a selling point to attract the buyers.

Pro Tip: JMeter tests feature is in beta version.

Protocol Update

HPE LoadRunner 12.55 shipped with a new protocol called MQTT. If you are into IoT (Internet of Things) or machine-to-machine (M2M) stuff, you can leverage this protocol to the performance test.

What is MQTT?

The long form of MQTT is Message Queue Telemetry Transport; a publish-subscribe-based lightweight messaging transport. If you have a home automation devices, then it (might) uses this MQTT protocol. E.g. Amazon Echo, EVRYTHNG etc.

Web-based Protocol Enhancements

HPE LoadRunner 12.55 now supports HTTP/2 64 bit record and replay, HTTP/2 replay on Linux, the correlation in the HTTP headers, a new set of correlation rules, attribute-based correlation, and web_reg_save_param_ex in Flex protocol.

REST API editor is now available in all web-based protocols. VuGen now supports Google Web Kit 2.8.0.

Automation Dynatrace headers generation. Proxy recording using NTLM authentication and privilege to select the NIC. HAR file export in the Replay Summary pane.

Web-Services now supports MTOM attachments and security improvements. There are lots of enhancements done in other web-based protocols as well.

TruClient Enhancements

Tech preview of Actions to Code. Now, you can see the code of your TruClient steps. TruClient Lite edition has the ability to import client-side certificates. New API – AUT.window and AUT.document have been introduced.

Improved ability to record SAPUI5 applications. The TruClient IDE got a new look, and icons. Larger scripts can be created without any performance issues.

VuGen Enhancements

You can check for the updates right from the Help menu. Marketplace icon has been added to the toolbar and in the Help menu.

New Recording Summary Report is a boom to performance testers.

If the LoadRunner is installed in one machine, multiple users can log in and work on their own instance of LoadRunner.

Controller and Analysis Enhancements

As new protocol and features got introduced, Controller and Analysis also reflects the same. It got a new report for JMeter tests, Dynatrace dashboard metrics, New Relic graphs, and MQTT graphs and monitors.

Network Virtualization Enhancements

Now you can run NV in Linux load generators and the report now displays Latency compensation. NV Insights displays HTTP/2 protocol metrics, client-side breakdown, TruClient steps, transaction status and resources analysis.

Jenkins Integration

HPE LoadRunner 12.55 now supports Jenkins 5.2 which includes the Build Pipeline. AMD Marketplace replaces HPLN integration.

Apart from above features, there are a lot of performance improvements, fixes, enhancements have been done. It is an overkill if I list everything. As I mentioned, over next few weeks, I will publish a video series about HPE LoadRunner 12.55.

Have you downloaded HPE LoadRunner 12.55? If yes, what is your opinion about this newer version? If no, watch above two videos and get started.