JMeter and Form Based Authentication

If you are struggling to load test a web application with FORM based authentication, then read along:


Step 1: Save the following xml stream into a file called as formAuth.jmx

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jmeterTestPlan version="1.2" properties="2.1">
<hashTree>
<TestPlan guiclass="TestPlanGui" testclass="TestPlan" testname="Test Plan" enabled="true">
<stringProp name="TestPlan.comments"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="TestPlan.functional_mode">false</boolProp>
<boolProp name="TestPlan.serialize_threadgroups">false</boolProp>
<elementProp name="TestPlan.user_defined_variables" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="ArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments"/>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="TestPlan.user_define_classpath"></stringProp>
</TestPlan>
<hashTree>
<ThreadGroup guiclass="ThreadGroupGui" testclass="ThreadGroup" testname="Thread Group" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="ThreadGroup.main_controller" elementType="LoopController" guiclass="LoopControlPanel" testclass="LoopController" testname="Loop Controller" enabled="true">
<boolProp name="LoopController.continue_forever">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="LoopController.loops">1</stringProp>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="ThreadGroup.num_threads">5</stringProp>
<stringProp name="ThreadGroup.ramp_time">0</stringProp>
<longProp name="ThreadGroup.start_time">1270069345000</longProp>
<longProp name="ThreadGroup.end_time">1270069345000</longProp>
<boolProp name="ThreadGroup.scheduler">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="ThreadGroup.on_sample_error">continue</stringProp>
<stringProp name="ThreadGroup.duration"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="ThreadGroup.delay"></stringProp>
</ThreadGroup>
<hashTree>
<ConfigTestElement guiclass="HttpDefaultsGui" testclass="ConfigTestElement" testname="HTTP Request Defaults" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="HTTPsampler.Arguments" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="HTTPArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments"/>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.domain">localhost</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.port">8080</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.connect_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.response_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.protocol">http</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.contentEncoding"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.path"></stringProp>
</ConfigTestElement>
<hashTree/>
<CookieManager guiclass="CookiePanel" testclass="CookieManager" testname="HTTP Cookie Manager" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="CookieManager.cookies"/>
<boolProp name="CookieManager.clearEachIteration">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="CookieManager.policy">rfc2109</stringProp>
</CookieManager>
<hashTree/>
<HTTPSampler guiclass="HttpTestSampleGui" testclass="HTTPSampler" testname="HelloJBoss" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="HTTPsampler.Arguments" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="HTTPArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments"/>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.domain"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.port"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.connect_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.response_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.protocol"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.contentEncoding"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.path">HelloJBoss/</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.method">GET</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.follow_redirects">false</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.auto_redirects">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.use_keepalive">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.DO_MULTIPART_POST">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_NAME"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_FIELD"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.mimetype"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.monitor">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.embedded_url_re"></stringProp>
</HTTPSampler>
<hashTree/>
<HTTPSampler guiclass="HttpTestSampleGui" testclass="HTTPSampler" testname="Login" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="HTTPsampler.Arguments" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="HTTPArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments">
<elementProp name="j_username" elementType="HTTPArgument">
<boolProp name="HTTPArgument.always_encode">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.value">user${JBOSS_USER}</stringProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.metadata">=</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPArgument.use_equals">true</boolProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.name">j_username</stringProp>
</elementProp>
<elementProp name="j_password" elementType="HTTPArgument">
<boolProp name="HTTPArgument.always_encode">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.value">password</stringProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.metadata">=</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPArgument.use_equals">true</boolProp>
<stringProp name="Argument.name">j_password</stringProp>
</elementProp>
</collectionProp>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.domain"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.port"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.connect_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.response_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.protocol"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.contentEncoding"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.path">HelloJBoss/j_security_check</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.method">POST</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.follow_redirects">false</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.auto_redirects">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.use_keepalive">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.DO_MULTIPART_POST">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_NAME"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_FIELD"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.mimetype"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.monitor">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.embedded_url_re"></stringProp>
</HTTPSampler>
<hashTree/>
<LoopController guiclass="LoopControlPanel" testclass="LoopController" testname="Loop Controller" enabled="true">
<boolProp name="LoopController.continue_forever">true</boolProp>
<stringProp name="LoopController.loops">1000</stringProp>
</LoopController>
<hashTree>
<HTTPSampler guiclass="HttpTestSampleGui" testclass="HTTPSampler" testname="HelloServlet" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="HTTPsampler.Arguments" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="HTTPArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments"/>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.domain"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.port"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.connect_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.response_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.protocol"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.contentEncoding"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.path">HelloJBoss/HelloServlet</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.method">GET</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.follow_redirects">false</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.auto_redirects">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.use_keepalive">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.DO_MULTIPART_POST">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_NAME"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_FIELD"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.mimetype"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.monitor">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.embedded_url_re"></stringProp>
</HTTPSampler>
<hashTree/>
</hashTree>
<HTTPSampler guiclass="HttpTestSampleGui" testclass="HTTPSampler" testname="Logout" enabled="true">
<elementProp name="HTTPsampler.Arguments" elementType="Arguments" guiclass="HTTPArgumentsPanel" testclass="Arguments" testname="User Defined Variables" enabled="true">
<collectionProp name="Arguments.arguments"/>
</elementProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.domain"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.port"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.connect_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.response_timeout"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.protocol"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.contentEncoding"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.path">HelloJBoss/LogoutServlet</stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.method">GET</stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.follow_redirects">false</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.auto_redirects">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.use_keepalive">true</boolProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.DO_MULTIPART_POST">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_NAME"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.FILE_FIELD"></stringProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.mimetype"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="HTTPSampler.monitor">false</boolProp>
<stringProp name="HTTPSampler.embedded_url_re"></stringProp>
</HTTPSampler>
<hashTree/>
<ResultCollector guiclass="GraphVisualizer" testclass="ResultCollector" testname="Graph Results" enabled="true">
<boolProp name="ResultCollector.error_logging">false</boolProp>
<objProp>
<name>saveConfig</name>
<value class="SampleSaveConfiguration">
<time>true</time>
<latency>true</latency>
<timestamp>true</timestamp>
<success>true</success>
<label>true</label>
<code>true</code>
<message>true</message>
<threadName>true</threadName>
<dataType>true</dataType>
<encoding>false</encoding>
<assertions>true</assertions>
<subresults>true</subresults>
<responseData>false</responseData>
<samplerData>false</samplerData>
<xml>true</xml>
<fieldNames>false</fieldNames>
<responseHeaders>false</responseHeaders>
<requestHeaders>false</requestHeaders>
<responseDataOnError>false</responseDataOnError>
<saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>false</saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>
<assertionsResultsToSave>0</assertionsResultsToSave>
<bytes>true</bytes>
</value>
</objProp>
<stringProp name="filename">/home/anil/jmeter/TestResults.jtl</stringProp>
</ResultCollector>
<hashTree/>
<ResultCollector guiclass="ViewResultsFullVisualizer" testclass="ResultCollector" testname="View Results Tree" enabled="true">
<boolProp name="ResultCollector.error_logging">false</boolProp>
<objProp>
<name>saveConfig</name>
<value class="SampleSaveConfiguration">
<time>true</time>
<latency>true</latency>
<timestamp>true</timestamp>
<success>true</success>
<label>true</label>
<code>true</code>
<message>true</message>
<threadName>true</threadName>
<dataType>true</dataType>
<encoding>false</encoding>
<assertions>true</assertions>
<subresults>true</subresults>
<responseData>false</responseData>
<samplerData>false</samplerData>
<xml>true</xml>
<fieldNames>false</fieldNames>
<responseHeaders>false</responseHeaders>
<requestHeaders>false</requestHeaders>
<responseDataOnError>false</responseDataOnError>
<saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>false</saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>
<assertionsResultsToSave>0</assertionsResultsToSave>
<bytes>true</bytes>
</value>
</objProp>
<stringProp name="filename"></stringProp>
</ResultCollector>
<hashTree/>
<ResultCollector guiclass="TableVisualizer" testclass="ResultCollector" testname="View Results in Table" enabled="true">
<boolProp name="ResultCollector.error_logging">false</boolProp>
<objProp>
<name>saveConfig</name>
<value class="SampleSaveConfiguration">
<time>true</time>
<latency>true</latency>
<timestamp>true</timestamp>
<success>true</success>
<label>true</label>
<code>true</code>
<message>true</message>
<threadName>true</threadName>
<dataType>true</dataType>
<encoding>false</encoding>
<assertions>true</assertions>
<subresults>true</subresults>
<responseData>false</responseData>
<samplerData>false</samplerData>
<xml>true</xml>
<fieldNames>false</fieldNames>
<responseHeaders>false</responseHeaders>
<requestHeaders>false</requestHeaders>
<responseDataOnError>false</responseDataOnError>
<saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>false</saveAssertionResultsFailureMessage>
<assertionsResultsToSave>0</assertionsResultsToSave>
<fileName>true</fileName>
</value>
</objProp>
<stringProp name="filename">/home/anil/jmeter/ResultTable.jtl</stringProp>
</ResultCollector>
<hashTree/>
</hashTree>
<CounterConfig guiclass="CounterConfigGui" testclass="CounterConfig" testname="Counter" enabled="true">
<stringProp name="CounterConfig.start">1</stringProp>
<stringProp name="CounterConfig.end">100</stringProp>
<stringProp name="CounterConfig.incr">1</stringProp>
<stringProp name="CounterConfig.name">JBOSS_USER</stringProp>
<stringProp name="CounterConfig.format"></stringProp>
<boolProp name="CounterConfig.per_user">false</boolProp>
</CounterConfig>
<hashTree/>
</hashTree>
</hashTree>
</jmeterTestPlan>



Step 2: Now go into JMeter GUI and import this test plan "formAuth.jmx"

Description:
* In this example, the web app is HelloJBoss.
* First we access the web application to establish the cookies etc.
* The initial servlet we are using is HelloJBossServlet after form auth.
* Once we are done with form auth, we do the log out.

Acknowledgements: Marcus Moyses gave me this file.



FORM BASED LOGIN USING APACHE HTTPCLIENT
If you are in need, look at the ClientLogin.