I like OpenSTA http://www.opensta.org/ it's a free web site load testing tool. Like all testing tools you can't just sit down and use it, but if you spend a few minutes going over their example you will be on your way.
_____________________________________________ Pete Freitag ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) CTO, CFDEV.COM ColdFusion Developer Resources http://www.cfdev.com/ -----Original Message----- From: charles arehart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 1:01 AM To: JRun-Talk Subject: RE: load testing (was RE: Difficult To Reproduce Session Issue) I appreciate all those points, Celeste. And as someone who's also been around the IT world a long time (20 years), I realize that politics are part of the game. I just don't know how much that's really the heart of the issue of why people don't test. Indeed, it may be that a developer thinks that a testing tool will take too long to learn to use (even if it's free) and therefore it's worth even less time to try it out. But I'm trying to find out if anyone has found better alternatives. I've looked at several web app testing tools (load and regression). Some are free, some are expensive. I've looked at java testing tools (free and commercial). Yes, they all take time to learn to use, so I've been disinclined to use them as well. And I've talked to many of the commercial companies about dropping their prices, or permitting a lower volume of testing for lower costs (if not free). Even testing for 5 concurrent users is better than not doing any testing at all. Fortunately, I do have good news for those who've been willing to follow this thread (or at least read this note): I recently learned of a company (Open Demand, at www.opendemand.com) who have both a packaged load testing tool and (better for many, for cost and complexity) a hosted solution as well. The hosted solution is really easy to use (and no software to install, of course). In fact, after discussions some discussion I got them to agree to setup a mechanism for people to trial the service for free for 5 virtual users (with no time limit for trying it out), which is really generous of them. I was really psyched to see that. If anyone here wants to try it out, the trial link is currently http://www.opendemand.com/cf/. Don't mind the fact that the URL (and the page) mentions CF (ColdFusion). It's just that they're initially focusing on the CF community but will very shortly have a link for the Java community. Of course, the tool doesn't care what the back-end server is running. It does the testing across the net from their hosted solution to your site, so the back-end's really transparent to the tool. Naturally, some may argue that a stress test should take place within the server's network. The company offers a packaged solution for that purpose as well. I hope folks will check it out and report what you think of it. Indeed, I hope that the 5-user test may be helpful to some in doing their first load testing. Sure, 5 users isn't much, but if your site is relatively low-trafficked, you ever know what running 5 concurrent users might stress in your system. Think about it, to get 5 users at once some sites would need to average thousands of users a day. By the same token, even if you don't expect that load, it's also possible that you could have that load in a sudden burst. Hey, it's free, so try it out against as many threads through your site as you'd like. (It's not just a tool to test one page but instead acts like a record and playback while you traverse your site creating a "scenario".) If you're interested in trying more virtual users, the paid service starts at $149 for 50 users for up to 60 minutes of testing (usable over whatever period of hours/days it takes to use up that time). Contact Don Doane ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for more pricing info. I hope you guys will pardon if this leans towards a sales pitch. As the whole thread started out, it's really about testing, and getting people to do it more. It was just coincidental that at about the same time I was arranging them to allow this trial service. /charlie > -----Original Message----- > From: Haseltine, Celeste [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 11:11 AM > To: JRun-Talk > Subject: RE: load testing (was RE: Difficult To Reproduce Session Issue) > > > Charles, > > My response wasn't directed at just "what to do when the bosses don't > listen", but also how to "not push your ideas to the point that > you alienate > the bosses you are trying to convince". Again, unless you are an > officer of > a company, or are the owner, you are often NOT in a "decision > making" role. > Therefore, the only thing you can do is to try and convince > people to test a > product before deployment. But you can't force your bosses to do > something. > And if you try to do so, you will risk your job and your professional > reputation. > > Again, manpower issues and money issues are the key here. Even > if the tools > are free, it takes the use of "x man-hours" to test a product, > when those "x > man-hours" could be used towards something viewed as "more profitable" or > more important to the company by upper management. This is > especially true > when you are in a very small shop as I am. I can push all I > want, but if I > push too much, I run the risk of alienating the very people I am trying to > convince. And if I do alienate my "bosses", what have I gained > for my group > and "my cause"? Nothing. In fact, by pushing too far, I could end up > hurting my group and my "cause" more, by not giving my management team a > "graceful out" once they realize that I was probably right all > along. This > is called politics. And the higher you move up as an IT professional, the > more important the "how well you play the political game" becomes vs. "how > often you are right and your boss is wrong". > > Perhaps someone else on this list has a better approach to > convincing their > management team for taking the time and the money to do things such as > testing. I'm always interested in hearing other/better > approaches. But for > me, this is the way I have approached all "opposition" to any IT > recommendation that may be viewed as "not necessary, too costly, etc.", > testing included. As I mentioned before, people and companies both make > mistakes, and hopefully learn from them. Sometimes you just have to let > your upper management make what you know is a decision that will probably > come back to haunt them, and then just move forward from that point on. > > Celeste > ______________________________________________________________________ Your ad could be here. 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