In beta2 we added a number of new minor features, and a couple of major ones.
We also changed our licensing model, which you can read about here.
Here is a list of the minor features we added, along with a brief description of each. The last one in the list, compare two runs in Excel, is probably my most favorite feature in the entire release.
Area
Title
Description
Recorder
Recorder options in tools options
Starting URL supplies a default url to start recording from.
Two new options to control whether or not the recorder does hidden field matching, and whether or not it runs the dynamic parameter detection tool after recording completes.
Recorder records all requests by default, fold dependents under page
In 2008, static dependents not found by the dependents parser were not recorded by default. Now they are.
Web test
search/replace
Search and replace in web test requests!
Playback
Add request bytes column
Request byte count is now shown in request list pane in playback (in addition to response byte count)
PreRequestDataBinding event
This new event fires before data binding occurs, allowing a plugin to dynamically change data bindings in a request.
Data binding
64 bit csv
This fixes a limitation we had in beta1, and now enables csv data sources on 64 bit machines.
New APIs on WebTest to control data cursor position and reload data
Give full control over the cursor, enabling tight control of which user is using what data. Also reload enables refreshing a datasource during the test.
Load Test
Scrub counter sets
We refreshed the set of counters being collected, thresholds, and default counters.
Analyzer
Add standard deviation and 99th percentile stats to load test analyzer
Graph instance 0 for CPU on local runs by default
Fixes the problem documented in this post.
Specify range for a counter (CPU range is 100)
Now you can specify a range for a given counter. Also percentage counters get a range of 100 by default.
Fixed range on perf graph
The performance graph now gets a default range set for it (range is rounded up response time of the slowest measurement)
Computer tags
Computer tags enable you to classify computers by function (e.g. web server, db server, etc.). Also enables run to run comparison even if the runs are on different physical machines.
Reporting
Compare two runs in Excel
This is a new, rich reporting option that enables you to compare performance and resource utilization data in two different runs.
Ed.