Use of server access logs to generate scripts and scenarios for exercising and evaluating performance of web sites

• US 6,549,944 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus LLC (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mercury Interactive Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Weinberg, Amir, Alperin, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu Ha
• Application Number:
  US09/610,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/217, 709/219, 709/224, 709/228, 707/10, 707/102, 705/14, 713/200, 714/1, 714/25, 714/31, 714/33, 345/357
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A visual Web site analysis program, implemented as a collection of software components, provides a variety of features for facilitating the analysis, management and load-testing of Web sites. A mapping component scans a Web site over a network connection and builds a site map which graphically depicts the URLs and links of the site. Site maps are generated using a unique layout and display methodology which allows the user to visualize the overall architecture of the Web site. Various map navigation and URL filtering features are provided to facilitate the task of identifying and repairing common Web site problems, such as links to missing URLs. A dynamic page scan feature enables the user to include dynamically-generated Web pages within the site map by capturing the output of a standard Web browser when a form is submitted by the user, and then automatically resubmitting this output during subsequent mappings of the site. An Action Tracker module detects user activity and behavioral data (link activity levels, common site entry and exit points, etc.) from server log files and then superimposes such data onto the site map. A Load Wizard module uses this activity data to generate testing scenarios for load testing the Web site.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating scripts that are adapted to be played to exercise a web site, comprising:

processing a server access log associated with the web site to identify a plurality of navigation routes followed by visitors of the web site during ordinary, post-deployment usage of the web site, the server access log reflecting actions of a plurality of said visitors; and

translating the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script that specifies a sequence of client request messages for exercising the web site.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein translating the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script comprises preserving a general distribution of access requests among web site content entities as reflected within the server access log.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein processing the server access log to identify a plurality of navigation routes comprises identifying first and second content entities accessed by a visitor in sequence, and determining whether the web site includes a navigational link between the first and second content entities.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising incrementing a counter associated with the navigational link to indicate that the visitor followed the navigational link.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein processing the server access log comprises determining of a number of times each of a plurality of navigational links of the web site was followed by a visitor.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein translating the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script comprises merging consecutive routes of the plurality of navigation routes.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the script comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators associated with the web site.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the method comprises translating the plurality of navigation routes into a scenario that comprises multiple scripts.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein translating the plurality of navigation routes into a scenario comprises preserving a general distribution of access requests among web site content entities as reflected within the server access log.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the server access log comprises a standard-format server access log file.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the standard-format server access log file comprises an HTTP Server Access Log file or an HTTP Server Referrer Log file.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising running the at least one script while monitoring server response times to client request messages specified therein.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a computer:

processes a server access log reflective of actions of a plurality of visitors of a web site to identify a plurality of navigation routes followed by said visitors of the web site; and

translates the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script that specifies a sequence of client request messages for exercising the web site.

14. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the computer program translates the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script so as to preserve a general distribution of access requests among web site content entities as reflected within the server access log.

15. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the computer program processes the server access log to identify a plurality of navigation routes by at least identifying first and second content entities accessed by a visitor in sequence, and determining whether the web site includes a navigational link between the first and second content entities.

16. The computer-readable medium as in claim 15, wherein the computer program increments a counter associated with the navigational link to indicate that the visitor followed the navigational link.

17. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the computer program uses the server access log to determine a number of times each of a plurality of navigational links of the web site was followed by a visitor.

18. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the computer program translates the plurality of navigation routes into at least one script by at least merging consecutive routes of the plurality of navigation routes.

19. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the script comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators associated with the web site.

20. The computer-readable medium as in claim, 13, wherein the computer program translates the plurality of navigation routes into a scenario that comprises multiple scripts.

21. The computer-readable medium as in claim 20, wherein the computer program translates the plurality of navigation routes into a scenario so as to preserve a general distribution of access requests among web site content entities as reflected within the server access log.

22. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, wherein the server access log comprises a standard-format server access log file.

23. The computer-readable medium as in claim 22, wherein the standard-format server access log file comprises an HTTP Server Access Log file or an HTTP Server Referrer Log file.

24. The computer-readable medium as in claim 13, further comprising a computer program which runs the at least one script while monitoring server response times to client request messages specified therein.

25. A computer-implemented method of evaluating the performance of a web site, comprising:

processing a server access log associated with the web site to generate a plurality of scripts such that a general distribution of access requests among web site content entities as reflected within the server access log is preserved; and

executing the plurality of scripts to exercise the web site while monitoring web site performance.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein processing the server access log comprises tracing navigation paths followed by visitors during ordinary, post-deployment usage of the web site to identify a plurality of navigation routes followed by the visitors, and incorporating the plurality of navigation routes into the plurality of scripts.

27. The method as in claim 25, wherein processing the server access log comprises determining of a number of times each of a plurality of navigational links of the web site was followed by a visitor.

28. The method as in claim 25, wherein each script comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators associated with the web site.

29. The method as in claim 25, wherein the server access log comprises a standard-format server access log file.

30. The method as in claim 29, wherein the standard-format server access log file comprises an HTTP Server Access Log file or an HTTP Server Referrer Log file.

31. The method as in claim 25, wherein monitoring web site performance comprises monitoring response times to client requests.

32. The method as in claim 25, wherein executing the plurality of scripts comprises load-testing the web site.