How big can the load tests be?
Up to a 100,000 virtual users simultaneously.

If I don't know what my site's limits are, how do I plan a test?
The most common pattern of testing is to keep increasing the load of virtual users until your site response time slows to an unacceptable level. Once you've identified the load level at which your site performance needs improvement, a productive and revealing series of tests can be designed to identify where the weak points in your system are.

How do I test load limits without crashing my site with the test? If you want to test your online site itself, you can schedule the test for off-hours or low traffic periods (late at night, for example). Or, you can run tests against a mirror site to learn the limits of your current site without straining the online version. You can also test your development site so that when the new version goes online, you know it's ready.

How do I ensure that a test covers the full range of customers types that come to my site?
Record a "profile" for each typical pattern of customer activity on your site and incorporate these profiles into a test plan that will automatically generate the appropriate mix of different profiles. Our software will also integrate all the products and services you designate, so that all the different kinds of customer activities and product types are included in the test. To duplicate real life conditions even more exactly, our software can randomize the sequence in which each type of virtual user and product request hits your site.

How can I test all the pages and products on my site?
It's easy to create data sets of page URLs and/or product types, and the Capacity Calibration software will systematically cycle through the URLs or product data you provide during testing. This data- can usually be automatically derived from records you already have, such as hit-frequency tables or directory listings.

Are cookies supported? Is session identification properly maintained?
All temporary cookies, including those normally used to maintain session identity, are handled transparently for all virtual users. Permanent-cookie effects can also be supported.

Can I use the computers within my company to run tests on my site?
Yes. The agent software is written in Java and structured so that it is fully portable. It can be run on any computer that can run a Web browser.

Can tests be run on development systems hidden from general Internet access?
Yes, as long as enough computers are available inside your firewall to run our agent program and at least one computer has both internal and external access.

How many different patterns of customer use can be mixed in one test?
As many as you like, in whatever relative percentages you like. You may also specify a mix of baud rates, and can mix WAP and non-WAP sessions.

What operating system is required?
The Capacity Calibration program can run on every kind of operating system. Because all communications use HTTP and all external components are written in Java, our program is not dependent on any particular kind of operating system.

Can encrypted sessions be tested?
Not at this time. However, in the near future, sessions will be able to include any mixture of HTTP and HTTPS records.

What if my pages use client-side scripts or ActiveX controls?
This should cause no problem as long as you want the page sequence to follow the sequence used in the profile, or are willing to use the template mechanism to customize the page sequence. Most selection processes are best handled via the data-set mechanism in any case, since you will want to test all potential selections.

Can I use load testing sequences for realistic site monitoring?
Yes. A monitoring service is offered that tests a site periodically and systematically works its way through as broad a test suite as desired. This service provides both immediate alarms for site breakdown or congestion and regular statistical reports of site performance under normal load conditions throughout the day and week.