Identifying Performance Testing Requirements
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Chapter 9 - Performance Testing Concepts
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For 500 virtual testers, 80% of all transactions have an average response time of 10
seconds or less. No response time can exceed 45 seconds.
Identifying Performance Testing Requirements
When planning a performance test, consider the hardware and software that your test
requires. For example:
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Server computers: database servers, Web servers, other server systems
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Client computers: Windows 2000, NT, 98, 95, or Me computers; network
computers; or Macintosh or UNIX workstations
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Databases that will be accessed
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Applications that will be running
In addition, you need to determine the following parameters for your tests:
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The size of the test databases and other test files to accurately represent the real
workload
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The distribution of data across the server to prevent I/O bottlenecks
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If you are testing a database, the settings of key database parameters
Designing a Realistic Workload
If you are testing performance, your model must accurately mirror the workload at
your site. Therefore, consider the types of transactions that occur at your site.
For example, do users query the database and update it occasionally, or do they
update it frequently? If they update the database frequently, are the updates complex
and lengthy, or are they short?
When designing the workload, consider these issues:
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The workload interval
The period of time the workload model represents.
For example, the workload interval could be a peak hour, an average day, or an
end-of-the-month billing cycle.
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Test variables
The factors you will change during the performance test.
For example, you could vary the number of virtual testers to understand how
response time degrades as the workload increases.
