Performance Testing in the Cloud: 7 Tools to Keep Things Easy

We can't overlook the fact that cloud-based technology is the way forward and is also evolving more than ever before. Today, many IT entities are realizing the importance of cloud-based frameworks.  

And for good, the cloud-based framework positively impacts the deployment and monitoring of applications or services. In cloud-based frameworks, there are many resources available for computing, storage, and networking. In this way, the applications are more likely to get more scalable.   

Catering to the value and cruciality that a cloud-based framework holds, it becomes essential for businesses to measure the performance of the services/apps in the cloud. Performance testing is critical for testing functional as well as non-functional requirements. But what is cloud performance testing?  

In this article, we will learn about what cloud performance testing is. What are its benefits? What are its types? And which are the best tools for performance testing in the cloud?   

Cloud Performance Testing: Definition 

Cloud performance testing is testing that helps in determining how well an application or website will function or (is in a functioning state) in a cloud-hosted environment. In this case, it helps us mitigate performance bottlenecks and then further identify what to do in order to handle peak workloads.  

Cloud based performance testing or performance testing in the cloud focuses on:  

• Speed  

• Stability and,  

• Scalability  

Benefits Of Cloud Performance Testing   

Cloud performance testing implies testing software applications using cloud-based infrastructure. The whole purpose is to test software applications for both functional as well as non-functional requirements. This is done to ensure that it is working well under their expected workload.  

• Reduction In Costs 

By leveraging cloud testing, companies can have control over their budget. Using cloud setup for testing, there is a reduction in the need for installation setup and hardware components maintenance.   

• Scalability 

As mentioned, cloud performance testing focuses on scalability, thereby enhancing scalability for users. Users using can access their resources from any device, the condition being a good internet connection.   

• Geographical Ease For The Testers 

Cloud performance testing can be leveraged from any location. Remote work is common; cloud testing is becoming a boon for testers and organizations. And also, nobody can anticipate the outbreak of another wave of the corona.  

• Ensures Quality Overall 

As cloud-based testing programs come with embedded and pre-configured software, this way, it is capable of eradicating issues faster and more efficiently.    

• Flexible Environment 

The cloud-based framework can handle various requests from multiple clients using multiple platforms. This way, it goes well with the environment and platform diversity.   

Since performance is a crucial aspect of creating quality technology, learn why continuous performance testing is necessary. 

Read Here: Continuous Performance Testing: Understanding The Best Practices 

Types Of Cloud-performance Tests One Should Conduct 

• Stress test: This type of testing verifies and validates the responsiveness, stability, scalability, and reliability of the cloud infrastructure under extreme load conditions.   

• Load test: Cloud based load testing makes us introspect whether the system is performing optimally when it comes to being used by multiple variant users simultaneously.   

• Browser testing: This type of testing is vital for determining a browser's compatibility with the overall system, like hardware configurations.   

• Latency testing: A latency test is used to measure the time taken to move the crucial data messages between two different points within a cloud network. Latency testing also, in the long term, helps in handling and ensuring good communications.   

• Targeted infrastructure test: Each component or layer of an application in this test is isolated and tested for the ability to deliver the desired performance and results. This test helps uncover any issue that would hinder the overall performance of the system.  

• Failover test: failover test identifies a system's ability to call in additional resources, indeed when it faces huge traffic and usage, to ensure that the end user's experience is not affected.   

• Capacity test: This test is vital for identifying the maximum amount of traffic or load that the cloud system can handle effectively.   

• Soak test: this testing helps in measuring the performance of a system in case it gets exposed to heavy traffic for a longer duration to validate its behaviour in the production environment.  

Seven Tools For Efficient Performance Testing In The Cloud 

• BlazeMeter: It's a tool that must be used by Jmeter lovers!! This tool allows you to perform a test for up to 50 users in the free account. At the end of the trial, one Is likely to get a test summary, monitoring report, errors, logs, load report, etc.   

• LoadView: This tool has some distinguishable features that outshine other devices. This tool can test with real browsers and provide enterprise-level testing and 24/7 technical support. It excels in providing cloud-based performance testing in real browsers. With Loadview, by using dotcom-monitor, one can show the actual performance of the applications under load.   

• Loadstorm: LoadStorm specifically works for cloud-based performance testing for mobile and web applications. It also provides a free trial for a duration of 30 days. This tool lets you know and manage the performance of your entire online cloud infrastructure and subsequently produce real-time graphs based on the results.   

• LoadNinja: LoadNinja is a cloud-based load and performance testing platform for web applications and web services. It helps developers, Quality assurance teams, and performance engineers check if their web servers can sustain a massive load and also if the servers are robust and scalable.   

• Gatling: Gatling is a type of cloud performance testing tools that helps in integrating with the developmental process. It can simulate heavy traffic to perform extreme levels of stress testing. This tool provides a web recorder with detailed and attractive reports that further help in highlighting and improving potential areas. This tool helps you ensure that your website or service can withstand it in a real-time scenario.   

• Apache Jmeter: This tool is widely used for measuring the performance of a variety of services. It offers simple charts and graphs for analyzing and measuring the performance of different services. This tool highly supports all the java-based apps and also, and it is portable enough to make things easy for the testers. It requires less scripting effort as compared to other tools.   

Leverage The True Capability Of Apache JMeter With BugRaptors! 

Read The Case Study: Banking Application Testing Using Jmeter To Measure Performance 

• Perfecto: This tool allows performance testing in the cloud while providing real user simulation. It supports many browsers' front-end metrics that are vital for the performance of your web apps, etc. It is a unified cloud tool cum platform for both your mobile and web apps.   

• Fortio: Fortio is one of the top tools when considering performance testing in the cloud. It is an advanced echo server and web UI simultaneously. This tool allows you to specifically set a query-per-second load and thereby record latency histograms and other useful statistical information. It is super fast and reusable.   

Conclusion  

Usage of the cloud-based framework for performance testing is gaining momentum because of the wide variety of advantages it holds. And therefore, to cope with the fierce market landscape, there is a great range of tools available for cloud-based performance testing that simplifies the entire task. However, one should leverage the pertinent tool very carefully, keeping in mind the requirements of the project to get optimum results. 

More importantly, by leveraging cloud testing, organizations can drastically reduce the time to market, and upfront costs, and reduce the overall spend on hardware, software, as well as maintenance.   

Good luck! 

Need help testing your cloud project? Bugraptors is one of the best cloud testing solution providers that has proven its worth time and again. For more information contact us at info@bugraptors.com