Performance testing is a broad and complex activity that can take many forms, address many risks, and provide an organisation with a wide range of value. It is essential to understand the different performance test types to reduce risks, minimize cost, and know when to apply the appropriate test during a given performance-testing project.
To apply different test types over the course of a performance test, you need to evaluate the following key points:
- The objectives of the performance test.
- The context of the performance test; for example, the resources involved, cost, and potential return on the testing effort.
This article helps you to learn about typical performance risks, the performance test types related to those risks, and proven strategies to mitigate those risks. From the below table, you can understand the performance test-related strategies that can help you to determine the best testing approach for your particular situation.
Performance Test | Risk Addressed |
---|---|
Load Test | • How many users can the application handle before undesirable behaviour occurs when the application is subjected to a particular workload? • What would be the user experience on the application responsiveness? • How much data can a database/file server handle? • Are the network components adequate? |
Stress Test | • What happens if the production load exceeds the anticipated load? • What could be the break-point of the application? • What kinds of failures may occur when the load exceeds? • What indicators should we look for in order to intervene prior to failure in the production? |
Endurance Test | • Will performance be consistent over time? • Are there slowly growing problems that have not yet been detected in the other performance test? • Till what point the application does sustain due to slowly growing problems? |
Spike Test | • What happens if suddenly the production load exceeds the anticipated peak load? • What kinds of failures may occur when the load exceeds? • What indicators should we look for in order to intervene prior to failure in the production? |
Capacity Test | • Is system capacity meeting business volume under both normal and peak load conditions? |
Component Level Performance Test | • Is this component meeting performance expectations? • Is this component reasonably well optimized? • Is the observed performance issue caused by this component? |
Volume Test | • Is the system processing the bulk data in the expected time period? • What is the mutual impact when multiple batch processing occurred with a large volume? • What is the impact of scheduled batch processing during peak hour duration? |
Step-up Test | • Which way is performance trending over time? • What are the changes in the performance matrices at different load steps? |
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