XTRM Load Testing - Case Study

XTRM Load Testing – Application Development Case Study

Client

XTRM is a powerful online action sports network that connects promoters, sponsors and participants allowing easy registration, sponsoring and promotion of/for action sports events that happen anywhere in the world.

Through XTRM.com, participants can register for any action sports event online, check out their competitors, build their sports profiles, win awards in their online accounts and connect with sponsors and promoters. Event organizers, promoters and sponsors can also stay connected with each other and organize/promote/sponsor/advertise events regardless of their venues through online event automation and promotion, online payouts, sponsorship awards and advertisements.

Challenge

XTRM, being a powerful sports network, wanted Dot Com Infoway to load test the site for 5000 concurrent users.

Solution

Dot Com Infoway approached the challenge in a phase-by-phase process. Based on the business transactions, DCI prepared the Test plan for load testing XTRM.

According to the Test plan, Dot Com Infoway will gauge the following through load testing of XTRM:

Response times for entire business transactions and checkpoints within business transactions
Server metrics such as CPU utilization, memory usage and queue length
Relevant database metrics such as CPU utilization, memory usage, recompilations, buffer cache, hit ration and queue length

Phase I: Script Development

The Script Development phase involved development of test scripts using OpenSTA for each and every business transaction. Script development comprised of recording of the test script, creating and setting test data, parameterization of test scripts and verification of test scripts with few concurrent users. This phase would include some R & D and coding also.

Phase II: Load Testing

The second phase is the Load Testing phase. Once the scripts are developed and ready, Load Testing commences, and gradually the load is increased to 5000 virtual users. DCI’s Testing team monitors web server and Database server during the test. After completion of Testing, post Load Test/QA guidance and suggestions were provided based on the test results/reports.

Dot Com Infoway delivered a Test Summary Report to the client as part of the project. The Report comprised of the following data:

Objective of the Test
Scope & Load Test profile
Tools used – hardware/software environment
Average checkpoint response time
Number of users passed/failed
Number of transactions passed
Application server/database server metrics
Post Load Testing guidance/suggestions
Post Testing – Observations and Findings based on reports

Result

Dot Com Infoway successfully load tested XTRM and identified the performance, scalability and stability of the application in the event of 5000 concurrent users.

Dot Com Infoway also listed out the possible risk factors that can affect the site and suggested and identified: changes to be made on the application; fine-tuning required in the web server and database server; infrastructure delays from Client PCs, Server etc that need to be attended; tweaking required on server hardware and any precaution that need to be taken in case of unknown risks.