24 Nov Key elements for a successful Performance Testing Strategy

Performance testing is critical whenever a new (or existing) software is planned to release into a higher environment and any of the following apply:

1. The number of intended users is very large (hundreds or more)
2. The underlying infrastructure has been changed or upgraded
3. User experience is highly valued

Performance Engineering is usually initiated at the same time when a new application development is initiated however Performance “Testing” can only be successfully done on a stable and “ready for Production” release application version. This clarifies that Performance testing is in fact a small element in the overall Performance Engineering realm.

If we dissect the word Performance Testing further then we need to understand that calculating response time is only 1 small element in the performance testing process. There are a number of steps, based on what type of performance analysis is intended.

Do you want to apply a load of thousands of users to the application and verify the system response?

Do you want to calculate the baselines only for a smaller number of users to analyze response times without the load?

Do you want to calculate the baselines and compare them against similar applications benchmarks or standards?

Do you want to calculate the breaking point of the application, i.e. how many users can or cannot simultaneously login to the application?