Pearson recommends proctor caching for all online tests. A caching computer downloads and stores test data, such as multimedia files or test questions, and then serves that data to individual test computers from within the local network. This enables faster test page loading times and more efficient test taking.

The tasks on this page identify the machine or machines to be used for caching. These tasks are a prerequisite to online testing, if proctor caching is to be used.

These setup tasks must be performed before test sessions are created. These tasks only need to be done one time per test administration, unless a change is required. If that happens, the initial settings you enter now can be changed at any later date.

Before you can create a TestNav configuration, if proctor caching is to be used:

Create Configuration

Do this BEFORE you create any test sessions. Later, while you are creating your test sessions, you will select the named configuration that you create here to be used for each test session.

  1. From Setup > TestNav Configurations, open the task list and select Create / Edit TestNav Configurations and click Start.

  2. Select Create Configurations. Enter the details of any proctor caching computers that you will use to precache tests. For more information about the Response File Backup Locations, see Configure Response File Backup Locations. 

  3. Click Test Connection to make sure the configuration works.

    If the connection is not successful:

    • Check that the proctor caching computer is set up properly and running on your network.
    • Check that you have entered the correct IP address and port. The default port is 4480.
    • Verify that the computer you are using to configure TestNav has Java installed and that the Java applet is allowed to run in your browser. (This feature requires the use of a Java applet. The computer from which you perform the action must have Java installed. You must allow the Java applet to run in your browser in order for you to test the configuration.)
  4. Click Create.

Optionally, additional proctor caching computers can be added to the configuration. This is generally done in larger schools where testing may involve multiple grades and forms and larger numbers of concurrent testers. In cases like this, a second caching computer and the additional throughput it provides may be beneficial.

If you only perform the configuration step, test content is not yet downloaded and precached. Precaching is not performed automatically, but something you must perform manually.

Precache Content

Do this AFTER all test sessions are created, but before the first test session begins. This will ensure that you cache all of the content needed. This feature requires the use of a Java applet, so the computer from which you perform the action must have Java installed and you must allow the Java applet to run in your browser in order for this to work. 

  1. From Testing > Sessions, search to find test session(s) set up to use proctor caching or click the down arrow next to the Search button to reveal and select the option to show all results. Select the session(s) you wish to edit.

  2. Open the task list and select Precaching Test Content and click Start.

  3. Click Precache. You can also click View Status at any time to view caching status. If content is not appearing when precaching and there are no students in the session, add students to the test session and try again.

  4. An information screen will appear to let you know that caching is in progress and the parameters being used. At the same time, the ProctorCache application will open. From that application you can view caching progress. See Set Up and Use ProctorCache for directions.

    The screen indicates that precaching has started.

    The ProctorCache screen gives you access to information about cache status. See Set Up and Use ProctorCache for more details.

To refresh cached content, use the instructions in Manage Cached Content for Online Test Sessions.