Using ALM Lab Service

This task describes how to use Micro Focus ALM Lab Service. To run tests from Functional test sets on your testing hosts using ALM, you must register your host with ALM using Lab Service.

To learn more about Micro FocusALM Lab Service, see ALM Lab Service Overview.

This task includes the following steps:

1. Create the Testing Host

   In ALM or Lab Management, under Lab Resources, select the Hosts/Testing Hosts module. Click the New Testing Host button and input your testing host information. The Registration Status for the new testing host is set to Not Registered.

   Note: You can arrange for ALM to automatically approve a testing host registration by setting Registration Auto Approve to Y.

   For task details, see How to Manage Testing Hosts.

   For user interface details, see New Testing Host Dialog Box.

2. Configure Micro Focus ALM Lab Service

   To configure Lab Service, you need:

   • The ALM server URL.

   • The dedicated Windows user name to be used exclusively for running the test on your testing host.

     Note: The user you select must have the following permissions:

     • Create global objects.
     • All COM permissions.
     • All permissions needed to run tests of the desired type. For example, if you intend to run UFT tests from ALM, the selected user must have all permissions needed to run UFT tests. For details about the permissions required per testing tool, see the user guide for the appropriate testing tool.

   • The password and domain of the Windows user name. These are available only if you enabled Auto Login during installation.
   • (Optional) The URL and credentials of the proxy server used for communication between the testing host and ALM.

   You can configure Lab Service to communicate with ALM by using the Settings page.

   To register Lab Service using the Settings page:

   1. Right-click the Lab Service icon in your system tray. Open the Settings page.

   2. Provide the ALM server URL and your host user information. Provide proxy server information if necessary. For user interface details about the Settings page, see ALM Lab Service Agent. Click Register Host.
   3. Refresh the host grid in Lab Management. The Registration Status for the new host is set to Pending.
3. Approve the Host Registration in Lab Management

   If you set Registration Auto Approval to Y when you created the host, then the registration will be automatically approved.

   If the host is not set to be automatically approved, you must approve it manually. The host registration request can be approved from within Lab Management by a Lab Administrator. If the host was created as a private host from within an ALM project, registration can be approved from within that project.

   Select your host from the grid in the Hosts module, click the Host Operations drop-down arrow and select Approve Registration. The Registration Status changes from Pending to Registered.

   Your new testing host is registered. You can now schedule and run Functional tests on this host using ALM.

4. Stop/Start Lab Service

   You can start and stop Lab Service using the icon in the taskbar. Right click on the icon and do one of the following:

   • To stop, click Stop ALM Lab Service.

   • To start, click Start ALM Lab Service.

   Caution:

   • Stopping Lab Service makes the testing host appear as Non-Operational in Lab Management. You cannot run tests using server-side execution on your testing host until you start it again.

   • If you wait too long after stopping Lab Service, ALM stops polling to see if Lab Service was restarted. You must manually set the testing host's Status to Operational in the Hosts/Testing Hosts grid.