Performance Web Sites testing scenario

Question

I would test the performance of my web application, by build test scenario like this :

• simulate a scenario like: X Users request the same web page in the same time and view the response time of the application

How I approach implementing this scenario? What tools should be used?

Answer 1

Neoload from Neotys offers all of these features to create scenario, for population accessing the application at same time select population to be constant rather than ramp up and design scenario and play the scenario.It will generate a report too. Check more on Neoload official page

Answer 2

1. First of all you need to check which network protocols are being used by your web application. For sure it will be HTTP and/or HTTPS. However modern web applications can use other HTTP-based transports for extra functionality like Ajax or WebSocket.

   HTTP protocol is supported by the vast majority of the load testing tools but when it comes to simulating Ajax or WebSocket requests the choice narrows down.

2. Given your in the same time requirement the tool needs to have a possibility to set up a rendezvous point when all virtual users "meet" before opening the page - this way you will have guarantee that the users will open the page at exactly the same moment. This requirement narrows down the choice even more.

3. Budget and skills.

   • It might be the case you (or your company or your company's client) already has the license for a proprietary paid load testing solution (like LoadRunner or SilkPerformer) - in this case the decision will be made automatically.
   • If you don't have the budget on one hand and on the other hand have freedom to choose - there is quite a number of free and open source load testing tools and you need to perform your own investigation given above criteria (of course you might need to apply yours on top). You can find an example of investigation and tool selection in i.e. Open Source Load Testing Tools: Which One Should You Use? article

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If you still don't have anything specific on your mind consider Apache JMeter as it's:

• free and open source
• doesn't require specific domain or programming language knowledge - you can create load tests in GUI mode
• supports HTTP and HTTPS protocols via HTTP Request sampler (you can even record your test using HTTP(S) Test Script Recorder)
• supports rendezvous points via Synchronizing Timer
• supports WebSockets and Ajax if needed
• has modular structure and functionality can be extended at any time (as it evidenced by JMeter Plugins project)