Tech Notes

Mind maps can be fantastic tools to aid analyzing performance bottlenecks.  If done correctly, it not only help identifying bottlenecks faster but document analysis tips for rest of the team and for later usage.  Below mind map is an example of root cause analysis when page load time is observed to be high. Most of the time, when response time of a web request is found to be high, performance tester starts digging out the fault on server side.  It is not always true to have the issue lying at server side and on database server.  The issue can exist anywhere in the delivery chain.  I usually follow below order while identifying the issue of high response time. Step 1:  Issue with Tool / Scripts Before checking anywhere else, it is advisable to validate the scripts and tools being used for performance testing. »         Does high response time include think time unknowingly? »         Is there redundant logic (e.g. client side functionality) inside transaction for

Below is the list of questions that should be considered for managing non-production environments efficiently. Test Environment Information »         What is number of test environments and their purpose?  What is the configuration (hardware & software) of machines involved per test environment?  Are these physical machines or virtual machines? »         Are there any dependencies between two or multiple test environments? »         What were the main issues faced in past?  What are the pain points? »         What is the operating system of machines used in test environments? Windows, Linux, Both etc.? »         Are these test environments dependent on some third party environments or web service etc. (e.g. payment gateway, single-sign on)? »         What is availability and utilization of test environments? »         What is the network bandwidth usage? What is internet bandwidth usage? »         How many machines being used for system under test and how m

For a recruiter sourcing performance testing profiles, filtering relevant profiles is one of the most challenging task. They need to have better job description and set of questions to take informed decision. This article provides pointers around this. There are many steps involved for sourcing the profiles but here in this article, two important steps will be discussed in detail. (1) Initial Screening of Resumes (2) Initial Phone Screening. The Initial Screening of Applications and Resumes In this step, applications are screened to see if they meet minimum qualifications for the job. The goal is to weed out fake profiles, below average profiles and profiles not matching the existing job openings. Below criteria can be used for initial screening of performance testing profiles. P = Performance Engineers L = Performance Leads A = Performance Architects Criteria Description Relevant Experience It is one of the most important criteria for filtering during the initi

For a vendor offering performance testing service, submitting a competitive proposal and winning pursuits is not an easy task.  Submitting a proposal usually requires approach, estimate, cost and assumptions for the engagement and it’s a challenge for service vendor to get this information correct in less time with minimal information available at hand.  It is seen that sometimes vendor ask their prospective customers lots of questions, which might not be relevant for preparing the proposal but might be good for the overall performance testing engagement.  In this article, I will discuss minimal set of questions that should be asked and importance of these questions for preparing the proposal.  These questions are not the only questions and based on the answers, further relevant questions can be asked. Project Context / Testing Objectives Question Notes Please provide business overview of Application under test It helps in understanding the application’s domain and its as