Configuration: Systems Under Test: Machines
Overview
Use this page to register and manage Systems Under Test machines. A Systems Under Test (SUT) machine is a server or host, such as a delivery controller, session host, or database server, that LoadGen connects to in order to collect performance counters while a test runs. Registering a machine once here lets you reuse it across every profile that needs it, instead of re-entering its details per test.
A machine's Run-As credentials should exist as a Credential Profile before, or while, you add it, either created in advance on Configuration: Credential Profiles or inline from this page. Once registered, a machine becomes available to attach to a Systems Under Test profile on Configuration: Systems Under Test: Profiles, which pairs it with the counters collected during a load test.
This page lets you search the pool by machine name, add a machine with its operating system and credential profile, edit those details later, and delete machines you no longer monitor. Each row also shows which profiles currently reference the machine, so you can check the impact before deleting it.
Key concepts
- Systems Under Test machine - A server or host that LoadGen connects to in order to collect performance counters while a load test runs. (related: Configuration: Systems Under Test: Profiles)
- Credential Profile - A stored set of Run-As credentials LoadGen uses to authenticate to a machine when collecting performance counters. (related: Configuration: Credential Profiles)
- Used In Profiles - Indicates whether a Systems Under Test profile currently references this machine; machines not yet referenced show 'Not assigned'. (related: Configuration: Systems Under Test: Profiles)
When to use it
- Onboarding a new server you want LoadGen to collect performance counters from during a test.
- Updating a machine's Credential Profile after a service account password change.
- Checking which Systems Under Test profiles reference a machine before deleting it.
- Searching the pool for a specific host while building a new Systems Under Test profile.
- Removing a decommissioned machine from the registry.
Before you begin
- Know the machine's fully qualified host name that LoadGen needs to reach for performance counter collection.
- Have a Credential Profile ready on Configuration: Credential Profiles, or plan to create one inline while adding the machine.
- Decide which Systems Under Test profile, if any, will reference this machine, since that assignment happens on a separate page.
Common workflows
Register a new machine for monitoring
Persona: Load test administrator
- Click Add Machine.
- Expect: The editor modal opens with empty Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile fields.
- Enter the machine's fully qualified host name in Machine Name.
- Expect: The field accepts the text; this is the only field you must fill in before you can save.
- Select an existing Credential Profile, or create one inline if the machine needs credentials that don't exist yet.
- Expect: The field shows the chosen or newly created profile name.
- Click Save.
- Expect: The modal closes and the new machine appears as a row in the table, with Used In Profiles reading 'Not assigned'.
Verify: The new machine's row appears in the table with the Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile you entered.
Reassign a machine's credentials after a service account change
Persona: Admin
- Type the host name into Search by machine name....
- Expect: The table narrows to matching rows.
- Click the edit (pencil) icon on the matching row.
- Expect: The modal opens pre-filled with that machine's current Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile.
- Select the updated Credential Profile.
- Expect: The field shows the new profile name.
- Click Save.
- Expect: The modal closes and the row's Credential Profile column shows the new value immediately.
Verify: The row's Credential Profile column shows the newly selected profile instead of the old one.
Remove a decommissioned machine
Persona: Admin
- Check the machine's Used In Profiles column to confirm removing it is safe.
- Expect: You can see whether any profile still references the machine.
- Click the delete (trash) icon on that row.
- Expect: A delete confirmation modal opens.
- Click Delete in the confirmation modal.
- Expect: The modal closes and the row disappears from the table.
Verify: The machine no longer appears in the table, and the row count is one less than before.
Steps
Step 1
Open Systems Under Test Machines from Configuration.
Expected result: The page loads showing the global machine registry, with each row listing a host's Operating System, Credential Profile, and Used In Profiles status; in the pool shown, none of the existing machines, which include a Citrix delivery controller, a Citrix VDA host, a Remote Desktop session host, and a database server, is currently referenced by a profile, so Used In Profiles reads 'Not assigned' for all of them.
This is the starting point for registering a new machine or reviewing which machines already exist before building a Systems Under Test profile.
- Add Machine and Refresh sit at the top right of the page.
- The Search by machine name... field above the table narrows the list as you type.
Field reference
| Field | Purpose | Format / Validation | Required | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search by machine name... | Filters the table to rows whose Machine Name contains the typed text, so you can find a host quickly in a large pool instead of scrolling. | Free text | No | empty |
| Machine Name | The host name LoadGen uses to connect to the machine for performance counter collection; this is the identifier shown everywhere else this machine is referenced, such as in a Systems Under Test profile. | Host name or FQDN, free text | Yes | empty |
| Operating System | A free-text label describing the machine's operating system. It's for your own reference when deciding which performance-counter templates apply to this host; it doesn't restrict which template you can pick. | Free text | No | empty |
| Credential Profile | The stored Run-As credentials LoadGen uses to authenticate to this machine when collecting performance counters. Choose an existing profile from Configuration: Credential Profiles, or create one inline without leaving this form if the one you need doesn't exist yet. | Selection from existing credential profiles, with an inline option to create a new one | No | empty |
Column reference
| Column | What it shows | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Name | Identifies the registered host; this is the exact value LoadGen uses to connect for performance counter collection. | Read it as the exact host name used for this machine everywhere else in the platform. |
| Operating System | Shows the OS value entered when the machine was added or last edited. | Free text; use it to judge which performance-counter templates fit this host. |
| Credential Profile | Shows which Credential Profile is assigned to the machine for authentication during counter collection. | If this is blank, no credentials are assigned and the machine can't authenticate for counter collection until you edit it and assign one. |
| Used In Profiles | Shows whether any Systems Under Test profile currently references this machine. | Reads 'Not assigned' when no profile references the machine yet; once a profile is built against it, this reflects that reference so you can gauge the impact before deleting the machine. |
| Actions | Provides per-row edit and delete controls for the machine. | The pencil icon opens the editor pre-filled with this machine's data; the trash icon opens a delete confirmation. |
Controls reference
Refresh
Reloads the machine list from the server.
When to use: Use after another admin adds, edits, or deletes a machine, or after creating a Systems Under Test profile elsewhere, to confirm Used In Profiles reflects the latest references.
Side effects: Read-only; reloads data and makes no changes.
Add Machine
Opens the editor modal with empty Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile fields.
When to use: Use when you need to register a new host before attaching it to a Systems Under Test profile.
Side effects: No change until Save is clicked; saving creates a new row in the global pool.
Edit icon
Opens the same modal as Add Machine, pre-filled with that row's Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile.
When to use: Use to correct a host name, update the OS label, or reassign credentials after a service account change.
Side effects: No change until Save is clicked; saving overwrites the machine's stored details.
Delete icon
Opens a confirmation modal asking you to confirm removal of that machine.
When to use: Use when a machine is decommissioned or no longer needs monitoring.
Side effects: Read-only by itself; only the confirmation modal's Delete button actually removes the record.
Save (editor modal)
Submits the Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile you entered.
When to use: Click after filling in or changing the machine's details.
Side effects: Mutating: creates a new machine record or updates the existing one, closes the modal, and the table reflects the change.
Cancel (editor modal)
Closes the editor modal without saving.
When to use: Use if you opened the modal by mistake or want to discard unsaved edits.
Side effects: Read-only; no data is changed.
Delete (confirmation modal)
Permanently removes the machine from the pool.
When to use: Use only after confirming the machine isn't referenced by a Systems Under Test profile you still need, since Used In Profiles shows that reference.
Side effects: Mutating: the row disappears from the table immediately and cannot be undone from this page.
Cancel (delete confirmation)
Dismisses the delete confirmation without removing the machine.
When to use: Use if you opened the delete prompt by mistake.
Side effects: Read-only; no data is changed.
Verify the result
After adding or editing a machine, the table shows the updated row immediately with the Machine Name, Operating System, and Credential Profile you entered, while Used In Profiles still reads 'Not assigned' until you reference the machine from a Systems Under Test profile. After a delete, the row is gone and the total row count drops by one. If a save didn't take effect, check for an error message above the form, most often caused by leaving the required Machine Name field blank. If a deleted machine still appears, click Refresh to rule out a stale list.
Troubleshooting
- Symptom: Clicking Save in the editor modal doesn't close it and an error message appears above the form. Fix: Fill in Machine Name, the only required field, then click Save again.
- Symptom: A machine still reads 'Not assigned' in Used In Profiles after you added it to a Systems Under Test profile. Fix: Click Refresh to reload the registry; the column only reflects the latest saved profile data.
- Symptom: Clicking the trash icon doesn't remove the machine. Fix: The icon only opens a confirmation modal; click Delete inside that modal to actually remove the machine.
- Symptom: Searching by machine name returns no rows even though the machine is in the pool. Fix: The search only matches Machine Name text, not Operating System or Credential Profile; check spelling and try a shorter substring.
- Symptom: You can't find a Credential Profile to assign while adding a machine. Fix: Create one inline from the Credential Profile field in this modal, or create it first on Configuration: Credential Profiles.
Related articles
- Prerequisite: Configuration: Credential Profiles - machines need a Credential Profile for LoadGen to authenticate when collecting performance counters
- Next step: Configuration: Systems Under Test: Profiles - profiles reference machines from this pool to define which counters to collect
- See also: Configuration: Systems Under Test: Templates - templates define reusable counter sets applied to machines through a profile
- See also: Configuration: Systems Under Test: PerfCounter Settings - configures the individual counters available for machines registered here