A Complete Performance Testing Guide With Examples

Grasping Performance Testing

Performance testing, often referred to as ‘Perf Testing’, is a type of test run to assess how an application or software operates under diverse workloads, placing emphasis on points like quick responses and stability. The primary objective of Performance Testing is to recognize and fix any performance-related problems in the application.

This form of test is geared toward evaluating whether the software achieves the anticipated requirements in relation to application speed, scalability, and stability. The ultimate aim is to optimize performance and eradicate any issues that could potentially degrade the user experience.

We will delve into various facets of Performance Testing throughout these tutorials, such as the different forms of testing, the testing process, and how to create a Performance Test Strategy document beginning from the ground up.

Remember to save this in-depth tutorial series for future consultation!

Let’s get started!

All the Tutorials and Tools encompassed in this Performance Testing Series:

Tutorial #1: Comprehensive Guide to Performance Testing (This Tutorial)
Tutorial #2: Contrasting Between Performance, Load, and Stress Testing
Tutorial #3: Comparing Functional Testing with Performance Testing
Tutorial #4: Crafting a Performance Test Plan and Test Strategy
Tutorial #5: Methods to Boost Performance Testing
Tutorial #6: Guide to Cloud Performance Testing
Tutorial #7: Guide to Mobile App Performance Testing
Tutorial #8: How to Perform Manual Performance Testing
Tutorial #9: Tutorial on Website Performance Testing
Tutorial #10: Performance Testing Companies
Tutorial #11: Performance Testing using LoadRunner (Series)

Testing Tools:

Tutorial #12: Top Performance Testing Tools
Tutorial #13: Tutorial on Neoload Performance Test
Tutorial #14: Tutorial on BlazeMeter Mobile Performance Test
Tutorial #15: Tutorial on WAPT Load, Stress and Performance Test
Tutorial #16: Tutorial on SmartMeter.io Website Performance Test

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Kinds Of Performance Testing

Load Testing

Load testing is a form of performance test that measures the performance of an application under normal and maximum usage scenarios. It gauges the capacity of the application to respond to user requests within an acceptable level of tolerance, consistently.

Key factors include:

1. What is the and maximum workload that the application can tolerate before manifesting abnormal behavior?
2. How does the database accommodate large volumes of data without slowing down or crashing?
3. Are there any issues associated with the network that need to be resolved?

Stress Testing

Stress Testing is carried out to push the system beyond its maximum capabilities and ascertain its breaking point. It gradually escalates the load on the system to stress it out and identify the point at which servers become unresponsive to requests.

Queries that need to be addressed include:

• What is the maximum load the system can handle before collapsing?
• How does the system break down?
• Can the system recover once it crashes?
• How does the system cope with sudden loads and uncover weak points?

Volume Testing

Volume Testing is executed to confirm that the performance of the application is unaffected by the volume of data it processes. This form of test involves feeding a considerable amount of data into the database to ensure the application can handle it. The data volume is gradually increased to test the application’s performance.

Volume Testing is crucial for applications that over time accumulate large amounts of data, such as educational institution websites that begin with minimal data but collect sizeable data sets over several years.

Capacity Testing

Capacity Testing is centered around identifying whether the application can manage the projected business volume under normal and maximum workload scenarios. It estimates the application’s ability to support future load requirements and pinpoint any additional resources that may be needed.

Capacity Testing entails changing resources like processor capacity, network bandwidth, memory use, or disk capacity to achieve specific objectives. It assures that the application can handle the projected load, complying with its service level agreements.

Reliability/Recovery Testing

Reliability/Recovery Testing is performed to determine if the application can revert to its normal state after a failure or unusual behavior, taking into account factors like time estimation.

For instance, if an online trading website suffers a failure during peak hours that prevents users from buying or selling shares momentarily but recovers within an hour or two, it can be considered reliable and having recovered from the anomalous behavior.

Performance Test Procedure

The following activities are conducted during the Performance Testing process:

#1) Requirement Analysis/Gathering

The Performance Testing team coordinates with the client to collect technical and business specifications. This phase involves understanding the application’s architecture, technologies used, database, intended users, functionality, application use, as well as hardware/software requirements.

#2) POC/Tool Choice

A Proof of Concept (POC) is carried out using accessible tools to validate the crucial functionality identified. The choice of tools is dependent on factors such as cost, protocol compatibility, application technologies, and the number of virtual users needed for the test.

#3) Performance Test Plan & Design

Based on the compiled information, the Performance Test Plan and Design are formulated. This phase encompasses deciding the test environment, workload, hardware, and software requirements.

#4) Performance Test Development

• Identify vital business transactions and formulate use cases that represent the functionality aimed at Performance Testing. Present these use cases to the client for approval.
• Develop performance test scripts by logging the steps in the use cases using the selected performance test tool, incorporating techniques like correlation, parameterization, and custom functions as required.
• Validate the scripts against varied user scenarios.
• Set up the performance test environment and manage metadata if not assigned to the client.

#5) Performance Test Modeling

Create a Performance Load Model for test execution to validate the performance metrics provided by clients. This model is vital to assess whether the defined metrics are achieved during the test. The model can be formulated using methodologies like Little’s Law.

#6) Test Execution

Implement the test scenarios in the stated workload using the chosen performance test tool and progressively elevate the load to the maximum capacity.

#7) Test Results Analysis

Analyze the test results to assess the application’s performance, compare it with baseline results, and pinpoint any areas that need optimization or troubleshooting.

#8) Report

Formulate a comprehensive test report that encapsulates the test results, analysis, comparisons, and recommendations. The report should be succinct, descriptive, and furnish all necessary information for the development team.

How To Write A Performance Test Strategy Document?

This instructional tutorial illustrates how to design a sample Performance Test Strategy document for a Messaging Application.

Bear in mind, this is merely an example and customer stipulations may differ. Nevertheless, this tutorial encompasses good practices for Performance Testing and offers a meticulous understanding of how to formulate a Performance Test Strategy.

Prototype Performance Test Strategy Template

About ABC Chat Application: The ABC Messaging application is an in-house remote support agent workbench employed by a company’s customer support team. This workbench provides online chat, customer identification, remote PC control, PC diagnosis, and repair tools.

This Performance Test Strategy document serves as a model for such applications. It presupposes the use of JMeter for Performance Testing and JIRA for fault tracking.

The first page of the document should feature the title and copyright information.

The second page should cite document version history, reviewers’ list, approvers, and contributors.

The third page should showcase the table of contents, followed by the topics detailed below.

#1) Introduction

The intent of this document is to delineate and elucidate how Performance Testing will be conducted for the ABC Messaging application in both present and forthcoming states.

The ABC Messaging application is a remote support workbench utilized for customer request fulfilment. It comprises features such as online chat, customer identification, remote PC control, PC diagnosis, and repair tools.

Objective

Key objectives of Performance Testing include:

• To ascertain that alterations and enhancements made to the existing chat application adhere to the stipulated Service Level Agreement.
• To validate that the application’s performance, service availability, and stability are not compromised due to the new enhancements.
• To ensure that transaction response times stay within acceptable tolerance levels with an increasing load.
• To monitor JVM stability and memory usage during load profiles.

The image below represents the Performance Testing & Optimization process:

<img class=”alignnone wp-image-27508 size-full” src=”https://iptvassist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Performance-Testing-Optimization-process.jpg” alt=’Performance Testing & Optimization process’ width=”650″ height=”584″ srcset=”https://iptvassist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Performance-Testing-Optimization-process.jpg 650w, https://iptvassist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/1_Performance-Testing-Optimization-process-300×270.jpg 300w” sizes=”(max-width:

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