STARWEST 2008: Performance Engineering: More Than Just Load Testing

Performance testing that is done once or a few times as part of the system test is not the right approach for many systems that must change and grow for years. Rex Black discusses a different approach--performance engineering--that is far more than performing load testing during the system test. Performance engineering takes a broad look at the environment, platforms, and development processes and how they affect a system's ability to perform at different load levels on different hardware and networks. While load testers run a test before product launch to alleviate performance concerns, performance engineers have a plan for conducting a series of performance tests throughout the development lifecycle and after deployment. A comprehensive performance methodology includes performance modeling, unit performance tests, infrastructure tuning, benchmark testing, code profiling, system validation testing, and production support. Find out the what, when, who, and how to conduct each of these performance engineering activities. As a performance engineer, you'll learn the questions you need to ask--early in the project--to identify risks for load, stress, capacity, and reliability.