Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Load Testing a Server


To prevent your server from crashing, you should perform a load test on your server. A load test allows you to see exactly how many simultaneous web users can access your server without delays. There are several different methods for load testing your server.

This article will help you to Load Test a Server.


Instructions
1. Download free open-source software from PushToTest.com to run a load test. Download 3 separate files: TestMaker Installer, Test Node Installer and TestMaker Monitor Installer. Since it comes with the source code, you can create your own test.

2. Consider downloading the web load and stress test from Proxy-Sniffer.com. You can only use the software for a 14 day trial period, but if you decide you like it, you can purchase the full package which allows you to conduct more tests. With Proxy Sniffer you are protected against false positives that sometimes occur during load tests on web servers. This site also offers support and training.

3. Go with a company like Moniforce if you're more comfortable having a third party work with your server. They provide a service called webStress where their consultants conduct the full test including: design, testing, reporting and result interpretation. Each test is customized to meet your business needs and your area of interest.