Load Testing in the Cloud

performance testing

Performance Testing FIFA & Cloud Scalability

performance testing linksAs we begin another week of summer, here are a few helpful links for articles concerning issues of interest to us load and performance testers. We at LoadStorm have been busy the past month with many new customers asking us for help.

Performance Blame Game

old school development

Poor Performance - Your Fault?

Who is to blame for bad application performance? by Alois Reitbauer is an informative look at how developers, system architects, testers, R&D managers, and operations leaders can each play a role in poor performance of software.

While pointing the finger is a common way employees in companies invest their time, rarely does it have much ROI. My experience is that development teams, IT departments, and company executives usually don't play together very well. They don't communicate clearly or frequently to each other. It's only natural because they have their own jobs to do, and their job evaluation (i.e. bonus or raise) isn't measured by collaboration.

17 Performance Testing Articles

Of course there are hundreds or thousands of posts out on the web about performance testing. I thought I would share 17 good sources focused on web application performance testing. Some of these are lists that lead to other excellent posts.

Ensuring Web Site Performance – Why, What and How to Measure Automated and Accurately

Performance Testing Articles

Performance Testing Interview with Perry Reed

performance tester Perry ReedPerry Reed has worked in performance testing for eight years, and he has extensive experience with load testing for large software applications. Perry has applied his skills at such companies as Publix Supermarkets and Home Shopping Network.

World-class Performance Engineers Shine the Light on Load Generation Challenges (it aint easy)

load generation serversThere was a time a few years ago that I needed to hire a Senior Performance Engineer consultant to help me set up load generation servers. I also needed help figuring out all the pieces for getting my performance testing environment setup.

Interview with Head Geek Andrew Lombardi

Andrew LombardiAndrew Lombardi is a Java Software Engineer and Head Geek of Mystic Coders, LLC in Santa Ana, California. His blog provides insight into many aspects of technology.

Our thanks to Andrew for taking the time to share some information with us.

Stress Testing Vs. Performance Testing - Different Opinions

Today I read an article by Omer Brandis on IT Toolbox about SAP stress testing versus performance testing. Maybe his perspective differs from mine because he is not focused on web applications. I just haven't seen other technologists use the definitions and goals of the two types of testing like Omer uses them.

Performance Testing Interview with Ricardo Sueiras

performance testing with RicardoRicardo Sueiras is a self-professed "IT professional and geek" (found that on his blog. His formal title is J2EE Systems Architect at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Canterbury, United Kingdom.

Regression Load Testing

NetworkWorld's Senior Editor Denise Dubie provides her views on What is considered good application performance?

The article essentially concludes that whatever the end user can tolerate is probably adequate performance. I was hoping for more technical content and details of studies or something like that.

Don't Get Caught With Your Britches Down (hat tip to Capt Kirk in Wrath of Khan)

System Performance: Dr. J Singh Interview

The following is an interview with Dr. J Singh, and he shares his thoughts with us on software testing.

system performance interview
Dr. J Singh is a principal of Quantitecture and 20+ year veteran with extensive experience with system performance. Dr. Singh has served as a technology leader at several companies, including the Director of Software Development at Fidelity Investments. He is a wise, yet humble, man that prefers to be called J rather than Dr. Singh. Being a lifelong basketball fan, I would prefer to call him Dr. J. :)

Performance Testing from an eCommerce Perspective

performance testing for ecommerce
Bob Williams, Senior Manager e-Commerce Marketing at Harland Clarke, has a nice post about performance testing, load testing, and stress testing. He titles it Customer focused eCommerce: Volume testing techniques

Trends in Load and Performance Testing by J Singh

Load Testing Trends

Dr. J Singh is a principal of Quantitecture where he helps clients improve the success rate of large software development projects. Dr. Singh has been associated with system performance for 20+ years, and was the Director of Software Development at Fidelity Investments. He managed a system performance group and created several successful new products.

Improve Performance

Looking for a simple way to speed up your site? We found a cool performance solution that can deliver HUGE improvement without rewriting your web application. aiCache web application acceleration is a new partner with LoadStorm because they can help our clients where we cannot. It's a great alternative to buying biggers servers, implementing load balancers, or re-architecting your app.

Placing aiCache in front of your web servers increases the number of requests per second and concurrent users you can sustain by orders of magnitude - delivers in excess of 250,000 HTTP requests per second while managing hundreds of thousands of connected clients.

Woot.com uses LoadStorm for performance testing and aiCache to handle the crush of traffic. They have saved a bunch of money and eliminated time spent optimizing.

more information

New Pricing Model

Storm on Demand Users Cost
250 $9.97
500 $19.95
1,000 $39.90
5,000 $199.50
10,000 $399.00
25,000 $997.50
50,000 $1,995.00

To See All Plans & Pricing Details

Web Developers Like Us!

“I deeply resent every second of my life I waste by thinking about load testing. All I ask is that our site be tested with a lot of traffic and without a bunch of BS for me to deal with. Thanks to LoadStorm, I need never again lose another moment to this insufferably tedious aspect of my job. I can feel the rage melting away.” - Shawn Miller, Web Developer, Woot.com

"I am definitely a fan of LoadStorm. I like its ease-of-use and the way in which the solution scales." - Darin Creason, Sr. Software Engineer, TransCore Corp

"LoadStorm is a great product at a great price with fantastic support. Setup time is minimal and the learning curve is low which was essential for us. I couldn't be happier with LoadStorm! Thanks again for your excellent support and product. - Nate Woolls, Director of Software Technology, InstallerNet, Inc.

"You guys are the best. Great customer service." - Melinda Keedy, Windstream Communications