Realistic Load Scenarios via Distributed Testing

Produced as a load testing utility, Reality Load XF from Gomez has a full range of features designed to create realistic testing conditions that truly prepare a web application for the rigors of the live production environment. With Reality Load XF, engineers can prototype new functionality without the fear of causing a breakdown in application reliability. Reality Load XF is a distributed testing utility, utilizing over 40,000 locations to produce a realistic snapshot of user activity.

Engineers engage remotely with Reality Load XF, scheduling tests and selecting load profiles to test their web application with. Reality Load XF is available for an annual fee, forgoing the need for licenses that are both expensive and inflexible. Going with Reality Load XF as a testing solution also bypasses the need for dedicated high powered hardware. Creating a realistic test requires intensive multithreading on a machine. Even when these resources can be spared, the test is still not an accurate representation of realistic conditions. A realistic test involves geographically diverse virtual users, and cannot be reproduced on a single machine. The incredible bandwidth demand that some Web 2.0 applications experience is also difficult to reproduce on a single machine.

With a distributed testing solution such as Reality Load XF, engineers can accurately reproduce live production conditions. Virtual users can be dispatched from almost anywhere in the world, revealing potential bandwidth problems that would otherwise go unseen. A wide spectrum of other parameters may also be fine tuned, including virtual user browser, operating system, and connection speed. This allows the engineer to perform an accurate test of web application usability across a broad sampling of users.

Such “on demand” testing capability can be a priceless tool for software engineers. The ability to schedule tests for any time allows an accurate user picture to be presented. This might not be possible with an onsite testing solution. Extensive result storage is also possible, allowing quality assurance personnel to view data long after the test has been completed.

Deploying a prototype and performing a test is simple with a utility like Reality Load XF. The only possible complication with a distributed system like Reality Load XF is that the software must actually be deployed in order to perform a test, but this in turn produces a more accurate picture of the software reliability.

Reality Load XF is an excellent choice when an affordable, easy to use solution must be quickly put in place. Other desktop based utilities may provide a greater level of detail in their results, but Reality Load XF more than makes up for this with its extreme ease of use. Engineers that require a realistic and easily launched testing solution should seriously consider Reality Load XF.