Load Testing: Running Tests

When you have finished designing your load test and are ready to begin a load test run, click the Run button in the Steps ribbon.

 

To begin running your load test, click the Run button on the ribbon bar. 

 

Prior to executing the load test there are two parameters you can adjust:

  • Test Run Description - Add a description that will be saved along with the test results. Enter any meta data you want here. You might want to record something special about the environment being used or the build of the application being tested. This can serve as a reminder when looking at all the full list of accumulated test results.

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    Enter the description in the text box under 'Add a Description'

     

  • Sampling Rate - Specify how often you want to take snapshots of the load test performance data. Each sample will be stored in the Results database. Specifying a sample rate that is too short for a long test may overly burden your Load Reporter and/or the SQL database with incoming data. Specifying a sample rate that is too long and you won't be able to see the granularity desired in the test results.

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    Select a sample rate from 5 seconds to 10 minutes from the drop down menu 

    Choose an appropriate value for the Sampling Rate property for the load test run based on the duration of your load test. A smaller sample rate, such as the default value of 1 minute, requires more space in the load test results database. For longer load tests, increasing the sample rate reduces the amount of data that you collect.


  • Goals – Set goals for load test metrics to define success or failure. You can choose a metric from the list and define the failure condition, add a custom goal, and choose to ignore goals for an initial period. To set a goal from the list, check the box next to the metric you want to measure and input the value for the failure condition.

Check the box before the metric and input the target value in the field following it.

You can choose to stop the test if this goal is met.

Check the box below the goal to stop the test when the goal is met

You can choose ‘Add custom goal’ and define a new failure or success condition for any metric.


The Add Custom Goal window contains drop down menus to define terms of the new goal



Here are some guidelines for sample rates:

 

Load Test Duration Recommended Sample Rate
< 1 Hour 5 seconds
1 - 3 Hours 15 seconds
3 - 6 Hours 30 seconds
6-12 Hours 1 minute
12-60 hours 5 minutes
> 60 hours 10 minutes

 

  1. Click Run this test to initiate execution of the load test.

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    Click the 'Run this test' button in the bottom right

     

  2. When the test begins, Test Studio will automatically switch to the Test Details screen and show you the test as it is being executed. See the Analyzing Results page to learn how to use this screen.

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    The Test Details Dashboard displays while your test is running

     

  • Each Load Controller can only execute one load test at a time. After starting one Load Test, you can optionally connect to a different Load Controller and initiate another load test that will run separately and independently from the first load test.
  • If you find it necessary, you can click the Stop button to force the load test to immediately abort. This can be useful if something unusual happens to the testing environment during the test run, such as the web application under test going offline.