Performance Load Testing is a very important aspect of software testing. It is done to determine how an application would behave when it is under stress due to excessive load. Performance Load testing requires an environment in which the load on the system can be increased to the point of failure. On doing so the flaws or the weak points of the applications that are otherwise not visible in the system design or architecture are uncovered. Testing jobs associated with this form of testing are not easy as most testing companies follow different approach for such type of testing. The test cases designed for performance load testing are generally very different from traditional software testing practices.

This kind of testing is not easy. In order to carry out performance load testing, IT companies require testers that have a good knowledge about the hardware and software, how various protocols have been implemented and what is the business logic. From the point of quality assurance, this form of testing is very essential because it is carried out at system level. However to create an environment for this performance load testing is not easy. Generally due to shortage of time, conflict of schedule and problems with allocating staff for the testing can cause delay. The team must understand that without performance load testing the testing of the system is incomplete.

Performance load testing can be carried out only when the application is ready to be executed. The moment the application is ready the capacity testing must be started so that the major defects can be uncovered and resolved well in time. Load testing cannot be carried out at the level of unit testing and ideally this testing must be scheduled after the functional testing has been performed.

Performance load testing goals must be defined and the requirement must be clear to the testers. Performance load testing is very different from normal software testing techniques. It requires test planning, test case preparation, test case execution, defect management etc. the documentation work is the same but the testing is carried out in a different manner. In order to perform performance load testing you will have to create an environment that would be able to put the application under the desired load so that its performance can be monitored. There are many software testing tools available to carry out this form of testing. It is necessary to select a good quality tool for performance load testing or else it would just be a waste of time. Ideally, you must select one or two tools and ask a team member to research the features of the tool and see if it ideal to carry out performance load testing.

Ideally while carrying out performance load testing focus on one criterion at a time. The test would yield many parameters at once but in order to find maximum number of defects it is necessary to focus on one thing at a time. Similarly in order to check transaction based system you must focus on the simpler transaction first and then move on to the complex ones. The tester can later work with combinations of simple and complex transactions to view the performance of the system. Another aspect of performance load testing is carrying out ad-hoc or scheduled testing for batch processing. Here too moving from simpler to complex batch processing will help uncover maximum number of defects. The nature of batch processing tests may differ from each other and may require different approaches while testing.

Many IT companies are providing services related to software testing in Ireland. However, for performance load testing settle for nothing but the best. Those who have good knowledge of performance load testing can easily get testing jobs  all they need to do is get in touch with some good Software recruitment agencies in Ireland.