The Art of Application Performance Testing, 2nd Edition

Appendix B. Proof of Concept and Performance Test Quick Reference

This appendix contains a convenient quick reference, drawn from earlier chapters, of the steps required at each stage of planning and carrying out a proof of concept (POC), performance test execution, and performance test analysis.

The Proof of Concept

A proof of concept is an important prerequisite because it does the following (see Chapter 3 for details):

• Provides an opportunity for a technical evaluation of the performance testing tool against the target application

• Identifies scripting test data requirements

• Allows an assessment of scripting effort

• Demonstrates the capabilities of the performance testing solution against the target application

POC Checklist

You should anticipate no more than a couple of days for completion, assuming that the environment and application are available from day one.

Prerequisites

The following should be in place before you set up the POC environment:

• A written set of success or exit criteria that you and the customer have agreed on as determining the success or failure of the POC.

• Access to a standard build workstation or client platform that meets the minimum hardware and software specification for your performance testing tool or solution; this machine must have the application client and any supporting software installed.

• Permission to install any monitoring software that may be required into the POC test environment.

• Ideally, sole access to the application ...