Introduction
A load is the total amount of activity (HTTP/HTTPS requests that the
server receives during any given period of time) that is placed on the
web application to be tested. This load consists of a certain number of
virtual users who process a defined set of transactions in a specified
time period. Assigning proper load is at the crux of web performance testing.
Supported Load
Models
Normal - In this type of load,
a constant number of virtual users are run against the web application
for the duration of the test.
Ramp Up - In this type of load,
an increasing load is run to help testers to find the limit of a web application’s
work capacity. At the beginning of the load test, only a small number
of virtual users are run. Virtual users are then added to the load step
by step.
Ramp Down - In this type of
load, at
the beginning of the load test, a maximum number of virtual users are
simulated based on the specified value. Virtual users are then removed
from the load in a step by step approach at the specified time intervals.
For example, assume first 50 users are run and at an interval of every
5 seconds, 10 users are removed from the load to ramp down from the peak
value to the lowest value.
Burn-In - In this type of load,
the response time of a URL is repeatedly measured with the specified number
of virtual users based on the exit criteria specified. In performing a
burn-in URL testing, you will often catch problems that would only arise
after extended use of the URL by a large number of users.
Mixed Load - In this type of
load, you can simulate a combination of loads (steady-state, ramp-up and
ramp-down).
Configuring Load Details
The load details can be configured in the Web Performance screen itself.
Navigate to the appropriate loadtest through the left-side tree. In the
load test details screen, assign the load in the 'Load Details' section,
below the transaction details section.
The detailed steps are explained in the next
topic. Please refer to the same.
