Performance Testing for Software

When a software application is launched it may be required to undergo performance testing. Performance testing tool ensure the application performs as expected, with the expected response times and load. For example : performance testing tools can be used to verify that a search engine does not slow down as it grows in size.

Are you wondering what performance testing is? It’s more common than you think, and there are various different types of performance testing to choose from. I’ll introduce the most popular performance testing tool that can help solve your performance issues.

HP Performance Tester (LoadRunner)

This is an enterprise performance testing version of Loadrunner and a platform enabled both global standardization and formation Performance CoE.

Features:

  • Lower the cost of distributed load testing
  • Scale from single projects to a full-scale testing Center of Excellence (CoEs) that consolidates hardware, standardizes best practices, and leverages global testing resources
  • Reduce the risk of deploying systems that do not meet performance requirements through the use of effective enterprise load tester tool
  • It is one of the best performance testing tools that lowers hardware and software costs by accurately predicting system capacity
  • Pinpoint the root cause of application performance problems quickly and accurately
  • It is one of the Effective performance test tools for utilization tracking
  • Browser based access to global test resources and optimal usage of load generator farm.

Protocols:

All protocols are supported by Load Runner load test tool

Silk Performer

Silk Performer tool is an enterprise class load and stress testing tool and has the ability to test multiple application environments with the thousands of concurrent users. It is one of the best load testing tools which supports the widest range of protocols.

Features:

There are many good load and stress test features in Silkperformer and those are listed as follows:

  • Components -> Workbench, True Log Explorer and Performance Explorer
  • Requires minimum hardware resources for virtual user simulation
  • Simulates modifiable virtual users
  • This load test tool Supports integrated server monitoring
  • Customer friendly licensing
  • Correlation and Parameterization is user friendly
  • No License requirement for Controllers or Individual Protocols
  • Handles Load Test in Project approach
  • Generates reports with tables and graphs and allows customization.
  • This stress testing tool supports six models of workloads.
  • This load tester tool provides Agent Health Control
  • Stress test website with server side diagnostics
  • Resource Management
  • It is one of the best website load testing tools that provides Version Control Management

Protocols

HTTP/HTML, HTTPS/HTML, HTTP/HTTPS, Flash, Email (SMTP/ POP), FTP, TCP/IP, LDAP, XML/SOAP, .NET and many more

SmartMeter.io

SmartMeter.io is the preferred option for performance testing services who want to address the drawbacks of JMeter. The tool supports the creation of a simple scriptless test environment with its Recorder. It provides test reports and has features like automatic test criteria assessment and test runs trend and comparison analysis. The tool offers full support for CI/CD integration. Its key features are as follows:

  • Create a scriptless test environment
  • Advanced response body extractor
  • Real-time results and GUI test runs
  • Comprehensive reporting, automatic assessment, and test execution comparisons
  • Supports CI/CD integration

The SmartMeter.io supports the following protocols – HTTP, FTP, LDAP, JDBC, JMS, and SOAP. There is no need for browser plugin or proxy setup. It has excellent capabilities in CI integration, distributed testing, and provides unmatched performance testing support when it comes to validating apps.

StresStimulus

StresStimulus is popular with performance testing services because it is capable of handling scenarios that may be difficult to test using other tools. It works by automatically fixing playback errors using its unique autocorrelation feature. The tool records user actions before replaying them to emulate changing usage patterns. It also keeps track of load impact on the responsiveness of the software and the server infrastructure. It can also detect hidden concurrency errors and provides in-depth performance metrics.

The key features of this performance testing tool are as follows:

  • Cloud or on-premise testing using multiple load generators
  • End-to-end Test Wizard reduces the learning curve by covering all steps
  • Option of manual scripting is available, but not required. The tool supports upto 3 scripting languages.
  • Allows script export to Visual Studio test format
  • Can be used as a Fiddler add-on or an independent tool

Rational Performance Tester

Rational Performance Tester from IBM is designed to create and run performance tests. It is also a powerful analysis tool. The tool allows you to verify the stability and scalability of web-based applications before they are deployed. This is an automated performance testing tool that develops a demo of the transaction process between the web service and the user.

It is capable of gathering all the information and analyses them to help improve efficiency. It makes it easy to detect and rectify any leakage in the application or server. Rational Performance Tester is widely used by performance testing services to develop error-free and effective cloud computing service. Some of the key features of this tool are as follows:

  • Supports event-based and scheduled testing
  • Supports scriptless testing
  • Runs with large tests involving multiple users
  • Supports real-time reporting that allows instant performance issue identification
  • Supports automatic detection and identification of dynamic server response
  • Supports automated test data variation
  • Runs website load tests with HTML version of web pages opened during test recordings

The performance testing tool supports the following protocols – Web HTTP, Citrix, XML, SOA, Weblogic, Websphere, SOA, and Socket Recording.

Silk Performer

Silk Performer is an enterprise class stress and load testing tool. It is capable of testing application environments along with hundreds and thousands concurrent users. It comes with CloudBurst feature that enables QA teams to efficiently launch any kind of peak load performance test without worrying about complex infrastructure. You can execute tests from over 50 locations globally. It supports Google, AWS, Azure.

Here are the key features of Silk Performer:

  • Components -> Workbench, Performance Explorer, and True Log Explorer
  • Minimal hardware is required for virtual user simulation
  • Simulates modifiable virtual users
  • It supports integrated server monitoring
  • Supports six models of workloads
  • Stress test website with server side diagnostics

Silk Performer supports the following protocols: HTTP/HTML, HTTPS/HTML, HTTP/HTTPS, Flash, Email (SMTP/ POP), FTP, TCP/IP, LDAP, XML/SOAP, .NET and many more.

Keysight’s Eggplant

Keysight Eggplant

Keysight’s Eggplant Software is an open, extensible, and multi-protocol performance testing solution. It is designed for new challenges. It performs end-to-end testing and can test anything and everything. It addresses technology glitches.

Eggplant Software provides the benefits of testing faster & efficiently, reducing IT costs, automating repetitive tasks, performing test maintenance at a scale, and reducing time-to-market.

Features:

  • Eggplant is simple to use and can perform true, user-centric performance testing.
  • It can simulate virtual users at application UI as well as network protocol levels. This feature provides a true understanding of the UX impact at scale.
  • It performs intelligent test executions by auto-generating and auto-maintaining test assets.
  • It has effective analysis and reporting capabilities.

Conclusion:

You want to write a performance testing tool, but have no clue where to start. I have you covered. I’m going to talk about what a performance testing tool is and what kind of skills you need to develop before you start. Then I’ll show you a very simple example. From there, it should help you learn if this is something you want to do or not.

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