Web Application Performance Testing Core Activities

There are seven core activities related to performance testing:

• 1) Identify the Performance Acceptance Criteria

Identify the response time, throughput and resource utilization goals and constraints. In general, response time ('product catalog must be displayed in less than 3 seconds') is a user concern, throughput ('system must support 25 orders per second') is a business concern and resource utilization ('CPU utilization will not exceed 75%') is a system concern.

When defining the performance acceptance criteria, take some of the following key points into account: business requirements, user expectations, contractual obligations, SLA's etc.

• 2) Identify the Test Environment

Identify the physical test environment and the production environment as well as the tools and reosurces available to the test team.

In ideal circumstances, the test environment is an exact replica of the production environment but with the addition of load-generation and resource-monitoring tolls.

• 3) Plan and Design Tests

Identify the key scenarios, define test data and establish metrics to be collected. The goal is to create real-world simulations. One can think of the following key uage scenarios to be 'inspired': 'business-critical usage scenarios', 'most commonly usage scenarios', 'high-visibility usage scenarios' etc.

• 4) Configure the test environment

Prepare the test environment, tools and resources necessary to execute the test plan. One of the key points is to make sure that your tool(s) enable you to execute all the different types of scenarios you are interested in. Normally configuring tools take a lot longer than you expect.

• 5) Implement the test design

Develop the performance tests in accordance with the test design

Start scripting the performance scenarios in the tool(s).

• 6) Execute the test

Run and monitor the tests

• 7) Analyze the Results, Report and Retest

Consolidate and share results data. Continue this process until the Performance Acceptance Criteria have been met.