Performance Testing with LoadRunner

A warm welcome to the Performance Testing with LoadRunner course by Uplatz.

Performance Testing is a type of software testing that is mainly used for testing the speed, response time, stability, reliability, scalability, and resource usage of a software application under a particular workload. The primary goal of performance testing is to identify and eliminate the performance bottlenecks in the software application. Performance Testing can be considered as an extension of performance engineering. In summary, Performance testing is a testing measure that evaluates the speed, responsiveness and stability of a computer, network, software program or device under a workload. Organizations will run performance tests to identify performance-related issues.

In essence, without some form of performance testing in place, system performance will likely be affected with slow response times and experiences that are inconsistent between users and the operating system, creating an overall poor user experience. Performance testing also helps determine if the developed system meets speed, responsiveness and stability requirements while under workloads to help ensure a more positive user experience.

Performance Testing aims to test the following attributes of a software application:

• Speed – How fast the application responds

• Scalability – What is the maximum user load threshold that the application can handle

• Stability – Is the software application stable under varying loads

Performance testing generally involves varying degree of quantitative tests done in a dedicated environment or it can be performed in the production environment. Performance requirements should be identified and tested. Typical parameters include processing speed, data transfer rates, network bandwidth and throughput, workload efficiency and reliability. As an example, an organization can measure the response time of a program when a user requests an action; the same can be done at scale. If the response times are slow, then this means developers should test to find where the bottleneck is. Features and Functionality supported by a software system are not the only concern. A software application’s performance, like its response time, reliability, resource usage, and scalability, do matter. The goal of Performance Testing is not to find bugs but to eliminate performance bottlenecks.

Performance Testing is done to provide stakeholders with information about their application regarding speed, stability, and scalability. More importantly, Performance Testing uncovers what needs to be improved before the product goes to market. Without Performance Testing, the software is likely to suffer from issues such as: running slow while several users use it simultaneously, inconsistencies across different operating systems, and poor usability.

Performance testing determines whether a software meets speed, scalability, and stability requirements under expected workloads. Applications sent to market with poor performance metrics due to nonexistent or poor performance testing are likely to gain a bad reputation and fail to meet expected product quality or sales goals.

LoadRunner is a software tool used for performance testing of applications. It allows developers and testers to measure how well an application performs under different load conditions, such as heavy traffic or high usage. By simulating user behavior, LoadRunner can help identify potential performance issues and bottlenecks, allowing developers to optimize the application and improve its overall performance.

LoadRunner supports a wide range of technologies and protocols, including web, mobile, cloud, and enterprise applications. It can perform various types of performance tests, including load testing, stress testing, and endurance testing, to ensure that the application can handle different levels of usage and maintain its performance over time.

LoadRunner comprises several components, including VUGen for creating virtual user scripts, the Controller for managing and executing tests, and the Analysis tool for analyzing and reporting test results. These components work together to provide a comprehensive performance testing solution that can help ensure the application meets the performance and scalability requirements of its users.

In summary, LoadRunner is a sophisticated tool that can help developers and testers ensure that an application performs well under different load conditions and can handle the demands of its users.

This Performance Testing with LoadRunner course by Uplatz provides the basics of performance testing, how it can be performed, and its expected goals and results. Also, LoadRunner testing tool operations are shown in great detail. This course will help you become a matures software test engineer and/or performance engineer/testing specialist.