If you are having problems collecting counters from the server when running load tests, you might want to try the following:

  1. The domain account that you are using to run the load tests must also be added to the groups “Performance Log Users” and “Performance Monitor Users” on the server the you are testing against
  2. If the server is on another domain you need to do a little bit more work. Try this out:
    1. Create a local account on the load testing server, e.g. TestUser1 / P@ssword
    2. Add this user to the groups “Performance Log Users” and “Performance Monitor Users”
    3. Create the exact same local account on the load testing client, i.e. TestUser1 / P@ssword
    4. Log in as TestUser1 on the load testing client and run the tests as that user
  3. In the worst case, you will have to run perfmon on the server and create Data Collector Set that you will start/stop with your load tests