eValid™ -- Automated Web Quality Solution Browser-Based, Client-Side, Functional Testing & Validation, Load & Performance Tuning, Page Timing, Website Analysis, and Rich Internet Application Monitoring.

Summary
eValid is a technology for WebSite access that enables a variety of WebSite analysis activities. As a Test Enabled Web Browser eValid is intended primarily for WebSite testing and validation functions. In addition to setting a new standard mode for these key functions eValid technology is quickly evolving to enable a complete range of client-side-based WebSite Quality of Service (QoS) needs plus a range of WebSite monitoring, browser-involved application development, and Web-based training applications.

eValid is a "killer app" in the QoS arena because it provides a simple and powerful programmable access route for every kind of client-side analyses of WebSites.

Technology Basis
We built eValid to have complete control of all activities from within a browser -- the best possible way to analyze a WebSite reliably and accurately. By being a complete browser eValid has object-mode access to every object or element of every page, complete control of WebSite navigation, full monitoring ability on all keyboard and mouse events that affect the Browser, total access to page internals (from the browser-internal view), and direct control over the current browser cache and cookies.

Building eValid on an Internet Explorer (IE) base assures operation on 99% of the millions of existing WebSites. As a pure Windows NT/2000/XP application eValid can access also all Windows features and facilities. Certain key features of eValid are patented. Versions of eValid for UNIX that instantiate Netscape are currently in development.

eValid focuses on these four main areas of automated WebSite static analysis, dynamic/regression testing, and server loading:

• Dynamic Site Analysis. The recursive descent eValid WebSite search engine can search a sub-Website (subject to search-depth, total time, and page count constraints) to find which pages load slowly, are too large, have broken links (even when pages are generated dynamically), if pages are too old, and if pages contain matches to a specified string.
• Functional Testing and Validation. This work involves object-oriented content text validation, full-image or partial-image checksum synchronization and checking, link validation, etc. Multi-window pages, popups, modal dialogs, and Java Applets are all handled automatically.
• Load Imposition. eValid imposes realistic loads on a server by automatically launching multiple parallel browsers each playing a separate script. 100's of browsers can be run on a high-performance PC. Progress of all sub-browsers is monitored and reported to the user. Sessions can be 100% real (full rendering), without images, or URL gets only. There is an eVlite navigation-only playback engine that can simulation up to 1000 users per copy. With multiple PCs eValid can generate server loads of 100's of 1,000 of users.
• WebSite Timing and Page Tuning. A built-in 1 msec timer measures whole-page download speeds. And, eValid can capture detailed timings of page component download speeds as the browser assembles a page and its dependent components with chains of HTTP GETs.

Primary Technology Features
The eValid technology incorporates many important features.

• Universality. eValid is functionally equivalent to IE but it is NOT a plug-in or functional adjunct. eValid is a completely separate, free-standing, fully functioning Web browser.
• Superior Ease of Use. All eValid functions are accessed from simple pull-down menus available on the browser menu bar. eValid scripts are pure-ASCII files with keywords and modifiers (currently there are about 100 keywords/commands). Results from eValid playbacks are put in response logfiles that are formatted as simple-to-read ASCII files. Logfiles are also offered also as XL spread-sheets or HTML tables.
• Complete Realism. eValid assures complete test session realism. It handles HTTPS [secure HTTP], session IDs and cookies.
• Maintaining State. Because eValid is a browser it can record and play back tests that "maintain state". Methods used in competing technologies such as on-web pinging, HTTP recording, or proxy recording and playback can accomplish this only with great difficulty if at all.

Important Technical Aspects
Some key aspects of eValid's technology of particular note are:

• Multiple Window Sites. eValid opens a recording sub-browser when a site opens a new window. Playbacks run from a hierarchy of sub-scripts in multiple sub-browsers.
• JavaScript/VBScript. Full support is provided for JavaScript and VB script.
• Secure Sessions. Full support for sessions using HTTPS or which use server-assigned session IDs or cookies.
• Java Applet and ActiveX Controls. Advanced controls are fully supported.
• Flash and Multimedia. Web pages that include all kinds of multimedia are handled naturally and automatically.
• LoadTest. WebSite loading is achieved by automatically launching 100's of sub-browsers from an eValid LoadTest control file. There is a playback status monitoring page with user-selectable update/refresh rates.
• Interactive Mode. The eValid script language becomes a user-programmable API for interactive use. The driver can be from PERL or C or VB, etc.
• Advanced WebSite Features. eValid supports modal dialogs, has a feature to suppress popups, can handle multi-media [audio and visual] effects, etc.

Application Opportunities
eValid is currently supports the following types of uses and users [employing several types of product licenses].

• DEMO and EVALuation Versions. Limited function and full-function versions are available that require on-the-web operation and report launches, recordings, and playbacks by email. [DEMO and EVAL licenses.]
• WebSite Testers, WebSite QA Departments. Recorded or hand-edited eValid scripts run regression tests, drive page-tuning efforts, and impose very-realistic server loads for capacity management. [User and Site licenses.]
• Basic WebSite Monitoring. Periodic execution of playbacks with automatic escalation of FAILs and Email reporting. [User, Site, and Web-interactive Metered COMMercial licenses.]
• Deep WebSite Monitoring [Transaction Testing]. Periodic execution of complex playbacks that involve deep, context-maintaining tests, with automatic escalation of FAILs and Email reporting. [User, Site, or Web-Interactive Metered COMMercial licenses.]
• ISP/ASP Service Differentiator. Permits ISP/ASPs to guarantee Service Level Agreements without outside independent monitoring. [Web-Interactive Metered COMMercial license.]
• WebSite Consulting & Development Firms. The basis engine for internal and external QA. [Web-Interactive Metered COMMercial license.]
• WebSite Testing Firms. The basis engine for internal and external QA. [Web-Interactive Metered COMMercial license.]
• Training Engine. Sequenced automated playback of training sessions with full user-interactive control. [Special license agreement.]
• Browser Development Base. Windows application can be combined with a product-controlled eValid browser accessed using the built-in API command set. [Special license agreement.]