Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-2

In last posting a have posted some points on "Performance Testing Requirement gathering"...

In this posting i am giving more information about "Architecture" & "Monitoring resouces" requirements...

Architecture:

1. Will functional testing be completed before performance testing begins?
2. Will all the functional testing defects of the application be fixed?
3. What are the components under test? (Provide a matrix indicating the description, make, model number, number of CPUs, and speed in MHz, IP Address, and Operating System for each applicable component.)
• Application
• Application Servers
• Web Servers
• Database Servers
• Others (Please specify)

4. Who are the persons responsible for supporting and monitoring all components under test? (Provide list of names, work and pager numbers, and include off -hour numbers, if applicable.)
• Developers
• System Administrators
• Network Administrators
• DBA’s Others

5. If the environment under test (EUT) is not the actual production environment, is the EUT identical to production?
6. Will the EUT be dedicated to performance testing during the testing period?
7. Will cache memory be turned off on servers during testing?
8. Can access to servers under test be provided for monitoring purposes in the form of rstat daemons, administrator rights, or other?
9. Are there any known network limitations on the bandwidth available to the application?
10. What are the client side components? (Java, JavaScript, VBScript, ActiveX, etc.)
• These components can affect the way we construct the script.
• There may be some Business Process logic that we have to simulate in the script.
• Does the client application depend on any locally installed components?
11. What are the communication protocol(s) between the client and the backend servers?
• Such as HTTP, FTP, TCP/IP, IIOP, GIOP, TUXEDO, MQ-Series, TIBCO, RTE, Citrix ICA, Telnet, proprietary protocols (via sockets), etc.
12. How does the client application maintain state information?
• Is it done by the backend application or the DB server store?
• Does the application track connections based on IP?
13. Is it required that the load be generated from multiple geographical regions? If yes, which?
14. Is the application customer facing? Is it accessed from outside the company firewall?
15. Is there CORBA, DCOM, or RMI in the architecture?
• If there is, where does it reside?
• We are not concerned if the client component is not directly involved.

Monitoring resouces:

16. Do you want us to monitor the system resources for each component under test?
• System Resources
• Unix And Windows
• Database Resource Monitoring
• DB2,Oracle,SQl server, Sybase
• Application Deployment Solutions
• Citrix Metaframe Server Monitor
• Network Monitoring
• Web Application Server Resources
• WebLogic Monitor, WebSphere Monitor etc.

Related Articals:
Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-1
Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-3

Post your comments to testingblog4u@gmail.com

Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-1

In order to define the scope of the performance/load testing, this questionnaire will be useful for gathering requirements for performance testing:

General Requirements:

1. What is the test requirement/objective in terms of load, capacity, and/or performance?
• Establish baseline results/bench marks?
• Compare previous environment bench mark results with new environment?
• Reach certain level of transactions/virtual users in a given period?

2. What is the current test window?
• Please provide the project timeline. Specify the test window.
• What limitations exist on the execution times? Hours of day (8 to 5 or off hours?)
• Will there be any Limitation on the connectivity of the application.

3. What is the “go live” date?
• If there are multiple “go live” phases, please indicate so.

4. What is the test environment for the application? What is the schedule for the application being in this environment? Which environment can we develop our tests in?
• Production
• QA / Test
• Development
• Other (Please specify)

5. How is the application accessed? Can we obtain immediate access to the application for test feasibility purposes?
• Is there a Login and password requirement?
• Is software installation involved on the client side?

6. Are the applications accessible from off-shore?
• Do we get access to the application directly or
• Do we need to access the application using CITRIX/Terminal Services clients?
• Others, Please specify

7. What is the implication of crashing the application?
• Who needs to be notified?
• How does this affect normal business operation?

8. Application knowledge
• How does the application functional knowledge training is conducted?
• Is it required to have the LR expert to visit your location to impart knowledge and study the application and the environment?

Related Articals:
Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-2
Requirement gathering for Performance testing: Part-3

You will get more information in feature postings :)
Please post your valuable comments to testingblog4u@gmail.com