Docs » Configure your tests

Configure your tests 🔗

To simulate diverse types of traffic to your site or application, use a range of configuration options to customize each of your tests.

Devices

When you set up a test in Splunk Synthetic Monitoring, you can configure the viewport and network connection of the device from which the test is simulated.

Because Browser tests capture the visual experience of a page, while Uptime and API tests only capture response data, viewport applies to Browser tests only. Network connection applies to all test types.

Viewport

Browser tests in Splunk Synthetic Monitoring capture the visual experience of a user interacting with your application. The viewport is the framed area on a device’s screen for viewing information, such as the browser window on a desktop. By default, Browser tests run from a desktop-sized viewport. You can configure tests to run from other viewport sizes to test the user experience from a variety of window sizes and device types.

When you set up a test, you can choose the viewport size from a list of common devices, or set a custom viewport by height and width.

Network connection

You can run Browser, Uptime, or API tests to simulate network connections of various latencies, including Mobile LTE, Mobile 3G, DSL, and cable internet. Testing your site from a variety of connection types lets you monitor the experience of users in a variety of settings.

Variables

Use variables to fill in fields, provide URLs, and enter other information during your tests.

Variable type

Description

Custom variables

Custom variables are local to a test, and their values can change over the course of a test. Use them to store a value of interest created in a step, to be consumed in another step downstream in a single test.

Built-in variables

Built-in variables such as random values, dates and times, or location names, for use in your Browser and API Tests. See Built-in variables to use in tests to learn more.

Global variables

Pre-saved, reusable variables you can define once and use across all your Browser and API tests. See Create and use Global Variables to learn more.

Locations

Specify locations for your tests to simulate traffic from a range of checkpoints around the world, or use Private locations to test sites from within a private network.

See Public locations for a list of available public locations.

Test state and current status

You can use the play and pause buttons in the more menu (⋯) of your tests to pause or resume data collection.

The current status of a test is updated every time you load the Test Overview page in Splunk Synthetic Monitoring. The following table describes the possible status types for each test.

Current status

Description

Pending

Splunk Synthetic Monitoring is still retrieving the status of this test.

Available

The test is functioning properly. If the test is active, data is being collected at the set interval and can be viewed in the Test History page. If the test is paused, it can be unpaused and will resume collecting data.

No Data

The test isn’t currently collecting data.

Failure

The test encountered a failure.