Thinking About Stress Testing: Dos and Don’ts

Perfect Work Performance with Load Testing

Load testing is primarily done under controlled lab conditions to compare capabilities of various systems or to measure the ability of a single system. The testing can also be practiced in the field, and it helps to know how a system functions well in the real world. The testing is usually part of a general process referred to as performance testing. The load test includes downloading large files from the internet, running multiple application on the desktop simultaneously, the assignment of several jobs to a printer in a queue, writing and reading data from a hard disk continuously, and subjecting the server to a significant amount of e-mail circulation.
There are two methods of performing the testing which include longevity testing which is known to assess the ability of the system to handle the continuous as well as the reasonable workload for an extended period of time. The other method is volume testing; this approach is known to subject the system to a significant amount of work for a limited duration. While working with the generating load there are few points that a computer specialized should put in mind, this is what to do and what not to do when stress testing. Listed below are what to do when testing load.
The do’s of Stress Testing
• Clear the cache and the cookies: before recording user scenario and web browser, the cache and the cookies must be clean. If not cleaned the load test is treated as failed.
• Start recording a new scenario: it is advisable to start new recording from the new browser’s start. Failure to start new recording from the new situation, the playback of the scenario will automatically fail.
• Verify user scenario: before producing test by a recorded scene, always make sure the scenario is successfully implemented for a virtual user. This helps to avoid problems that are related to some virtual users as well as additional testing conditions.
The above rules must be followed to make sure one has a successful testing process. Below are the don’ts of the testing process.
Don’t of Load Testing
• Don’t use real environment: it is not advisable to run the tests in a real environment, as the environment can interfere with the results due to network issues.
• Take care of the tested server: make sure you do not crash the test server.
• Avoid browsing web pages when the test is running, as it can fail the test.
The primary purpose of carrying out the test is to mainly identify the maximum amount of work a system can handle without degrading the performance.