TheDesigning and Implementing Enterprise Network Assurance (300-445 ENNA)curriculum identifiesReal User Tests (RUM)as the primary method for capturing actual browser-based interactions. While synthetic tests provide proactive baselines,Real user tests(Option C) provide visibility into the "lived experience" of an employee as they navigate corporate websites and SaaS platforms.
Real user tests utilize a lightweightbrowser extension(available for Chrome, Edge, and Safari) that is part of the Endpoint Agent deployment. When a user visits a domain defined in a "Monitored Domain Set," the extension automatically begins recording performance metrics. This includes the time spent on each page, DNS resolution time, and a fullbrowser waterfallof every object (images, scripts, CSS) loaded during the session. Crucially, it calculates an "Experience Score" for each session, allowing IT teams to identify if a user's frustration is caused by slow page rendering or underlying network issues.
In contrast:
Scheduled tests (Option A)andDynamic tests (Option B)are forms ofSynthetic Monitoring. They simulate traffic using a headless browser or simple network probes to check availability but do not record the actual clicks or browsing activity of the real human user.
Network Access tests (Option D)is not a standard test category in the ThousandEyes endpoint ecosystem; rather, network connectivity is a layer monitoredwithinthe other test types.
Therefore,Real user testsare the definitive tool for organizations needing to analyze actual employee browser behavior and the resulting application performance.
