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Introduction to this guide

Introduction

Performance Testing Guidance for Web Applications provides an end-to-end approach
for implementing performance testing. Whether you are new to performance testing or
looking for ways to improve your current performance-testing approach, you will gain
insights that you can tailor to your specific scenarios.

The information in this guide is based on applied use in customer scenarios. It reflects the
lessons learned from multiple performance-testing professionals. The guidance is task-
based and presented in the following parts:

Part 1, "Introduction to Performance Testing," gives you an overview of common
types of performance testing, key concepts, and a set of common terms used in
performance testing.

Part II, "Exemplar Performance Testing Approaches," shows you seven core
activities for performance testing. This section also contains information designed to
show you how to apply performance testing to different environments, including
Agile and CMMI® software development.

Part III, "Identify the Test Environment," shows you how to collect information
about your project that you will need for your performance tests. This includes
collecting information on system architecture, the physical deployment, user
activities, and any relevant batch processes.

Part IV, "Identify Performance Acceptance Criteria," shows you how to
determine your performance testing objectives. You will also learn how to achieve
clarity around your various performance goals and requirements, from a performance
testing perspective.

Part V, "Plan and Design Tests," shows you how to model the workload and user
experience to design more effective performance tests.

Part VI, "Execute Tests," walks you through the main activities of actual
performance testing.

Part VII, "Analyze Results and Report," shows you how to organize and present
your findings in a way that is useful based on the audience and the intent of the
report.

Part VIII, "Performance-Testing Techniques," shows you the core techniques for
performing load and stress testing.

Scope of This Guide

This guide is focused on Web application performance testing. It provides
recommendations on the following:
·

Managing and conducting performance testing in both dynamic (e.g., Agile) and
structured (e.g., CMMI) environments.

Performance testing, including load testing, stress testing, and other types of
performance related testing.

Core activities of performance testing: identifying objectives, designing tests,
executing tests, analyzing results, and reporting.