The widget-wise compare and global compare feature allows users to compare metrics in the multiple time frames or between two or more test runs (specific to NetStorm). Users can perform comparisons in two different modes: Overlay Compare and Trend Compare.

Please note that widget-wise comparison is applied only to the selected widgets.

Source Time

It displays the source time for comparison i.e. the time period which will be the baseline for comparison. By default the source time is picked from the time range currently applied in the product UI. Users can customize the color of source metrics by clicking the color box dropdown, where they can select a different color, adjust the opacity, or input a hex code for a specific color.

Select Target Time

The target time is compared with the source time. Users can add target time from the following options:

• Time Back: Compare the source time with historical data like Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly time back periods. Enter the numerical value for the hourly, daily, weekly or monthly time back and click on the Add icon to include this as a target time.
• Relative to Current Time: Presets relative to the current time. You can select one or more of these presets as the target time. For e.g. if you select Past 1 hour then it will show 1 hour back from current time.
• Relative to calendar Unit: These presets are tied to calendar units such as Today, Yesterday, This Hour, etc. Multiple presets can be selected for the target time. For e.g. if you select This Week as the time period and the current day is Thursday then the comparison will be done from Sunday to Thursday.
• Named time windows: Users can add system-defined presets or user-defined customized time periods as target time periods and save them for later use.
• Select from Calendar: Choose a custom time by selecting this option. You can define the start, end date and time. Apply this time period for comparison by providing a measurement name and then clicking on Apply.
• Select Test Run: Compare with past test runs and phases in these test runs with this option. Once selected, a window opens where you can click on the Show All option to view all the past test runs. Select the required phase for a test run. If you want to compare the entire older test with the current source time then select the Whole Test option and in case a specific phase is required to be compared, use the appropriate option. The measurement name can be customized, with the default name formed from the TR Number and Test phase.

Compare Time Set

Users can enable or disable the compare time set feature via the compare time set icon. Once enabled, users will see a list of available compare time sets, along with an option to save or delete selected time sets by clicking on the three dots menu. From the list, users can choose any compare time set, which will automatically select the target times and change the source time if needed. Users can modify the selection by adding or removing target times, and they can either update the current compare time set or save it as a new set. There is also an option to save the source time with the compare time set; if saved, the source time will automatically change when the compare time set is selected.

Trend Compare

Select this option to compare overall metric values across different time periods, treating them as source and targets. This feature helps analyze metric behavior over specified durations. For example, you can compare the average response time of a transaction during the "Past 1 hour" with the same 1-hour period from 1 day back or 1 week back.

Overlay Compare

Select this option to compare metric data patterns by plotting the source and target time period values using different line types. This helps identify spikes, dips, and other anomalies within a single widget. Use this option to check how a particular metric's value has changed over different time periods. For example, you can compare the average response time of a transaction during "This Week" with "Last Week."