Configuring Physical Execution Servers

Physical execution servers run on a physical computer or on a virtual machine (VM). To configure a physical execution server:

  1. In the menu, click Administration > Execution Environment.
  2. Select the location for which you want to configure an execution server.
    • To create a new execution server, click New Physical Execution Server.
    • To edit an existing execution server, click the respective Edit button in the Actions column.
    Note: Execution servers must be deactivated before their properties can be edited. Keyword-lists of active execution servers can however be edited.
  3. Enter a valid IP address or hostname in the Hostname or IP address field.
  4. Enter a name for the execution server in the Name field.
  5. Click Keywords to select keywords from a list or add new keywords that describe the execution server. These keywords are analyzed at execution time to dynamically select an appropriate server for each execution. For more information, see Creating and Assigning Execution Server Keywords.
  6. Settings in the Advanced section only need to be modified if you are not using the default settings. Specify the port on which the execution server listens in the Port field.
    Note: Check the Use SSL check box if you want to connect to the execution server through SSL.
    Tip: To connect to the execution server through a non-standard SSL port, see Configuring a Non-Standard SSL Port for Execution Servers.
  7. Optional: Type a responsiveness timeout in seconds in the Responsiveness Timeout field. If the execution server is not accessible for the specified time, an email is sent to the Silk Central administrators. Enter 0 if you do not want Silk Central to send emails in such a case.
  8. Optional: Change the amount of Maximum concurrent executions on this execution server, if required. If you enable parallel execution for your execution plans, this is the maximum amount of execution plans that are allowed to run concurrently on this execution server. Note that allowing too many concurrent executions can have a severe impact on the execution server's performance and may cause test executions to fail.
  9. Click OK to save your settings. If you receive an error message, ensure that your settings are correct, the network is configured properly, and that the required software is installed on the execution server you are setting up.
    Important: Because the installation of an execution server requires administrative privileges, the automatic upgrade of an execution server fails if UAC is enabled. Disable UAC on all computers that host an execution server.
    Note: If the version of the execution server is an invalid older version, but later than version SilkCentral Test Manager 2009 SP1, the execution server is automatically upgraded to the current Silk Central version. Silk Central shows a message concerning the upgrade in the Information column in the list of execution servers. As long as the upgrade procedure is not complete, the upgrading execution server is not used.