To be honest, I was excited about OpenSTA (being open source and all), and the docs were really well-done, so I was psyched. But then I found I couldn't quite get it to work at all. It was one of those justifications for the point Celeste had made: it didn't matter if it was free if it took a long time to get some use of it.
Add, too, that it did require an install of the product. One bene I liked in the OpenDemand tool was that it required no software install. /charlie > -----Original Message----- > From: Pete Freitag [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 1:29 AM > To: JRun-Talk > Subject: RE: load testing (was RE: Difficult To Reproduce Session Issue) > > > I like OpenSTA http://www.opensta.org/ it's a free web site load testing > tool. Like all testing tools you can't just sit down and use it, > but if you > spend a few minutes going over their example you will be on your way. > > _____________________________________________ > Pete Freitag ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > CTO, CFDEV.COM > ColdFusion Developer Resources > http://www.cfdev.com/ > > > -----Original Message----- > From: charles arehart [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 1:01 AM > To: JRun-Talk > Subject: RE: load testing (was RE: Difficult To Reproduce Session Issue) > > > I appreciate all those points, Celeste. And as someone who's also been > around the IT world a long time (20 years), I realize that > politics are part > of the game. I just don't know how much that's really the heart > of the issue > of why people don't test. Indeed, it may be that a developer thinks that a > testing tool will take too long to learn to use (even if it's free) and > therefore it's worth even less time to try it out. > > But I'm trying to find out if anyone has found better alternatives. I've > looked at several web app testing tools (load and regression). Some are > free, some are expensive. I've looked at java testing tools (free and > commercial). Yes, they all take time to learn to use, so I've been > disinclined to use them as well. And I've talked to many of the commercial > companies about dropping their prices, or permitting a lower volume of > testing for lower costs (if not free). Even testing for 5 concurrent users > is better than not doing any testing at all. > > Fortunately, I do have good news for those who've been willing to follow > this thread (or at least read this note): I recently learned of a company > (Open Demand, at www.opendemand.com) who have both a packaged load testing > tool and (better for many, for cost and complexity) a hosted solution as > well. The hosted solution is really easy to use (and no software > to install, > of course). In fact, after discussions some discussion I got them to agree > to setup a mechanism for people to trial the service for free for > 5 virtual > users (with no time limit for trying it out), which is really generous of > them. I was really psyched to see that. > > If anyone here wants to try it out, the trial link is currently > http://www.opendemand.com/cf/. Don't mind the fact that the URL (and the > page) mentions CF (ColdFusion). It's just that they're initially > focusing on > the CF community but will very shortly have a link for the Java community. > Of course, the tool doesn't care what the back-end server is running. It > does the testing across the net from their hosted solution to > your site, so > the back-end's really transparent to the tool. Naturally, some may argue > that a stress test should take place within the server's network. The > company offers a packaged solution for that purpose as well. > > I hope folks will check it out and report what you think of it. Indeed, I > hope that the 5-user test may be helpful to some in doing their first load > testing. Sure, 5 users isn't much, but if your site is relatively > low-trafficked, you ever know what running 5 concurrent users might stress > in your system. Think about it, to get 5 users at once some sites > would need > to average thousands of users a day. By the same token, even if you don't > expect that load, it's also possible that you could have that load in a > sudden burst. Hey, it's free, so try it out against as many > threads through > your site as you'd like. (It's not just a tool to test one page > but instead > acts like a record and playback while you traverse your site creating a > "scenario".) > > If you're interested in trying more virtual users, the paid service starts > at $149 for 50 users for up to 60 minutes of testing (usable over whatever > period of hours/days it takes to use up that time). Contact Don Doane > ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for more pricing info. > > I hope you guys will pardon if this leans towards a sales pitch. As the > whole thread started out, it's really about testing, and getting people to > do it more. It was just coincidental that at about the same time I was > arranging them to allow this trial service. > > /charlie > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Haseltine, Celeste [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 11:11 AM > > To: JRun-Talk > > Subject: RE: load testing (was RE: Difficult To Reproduce Session Issue) > > > > > > Charles, > > > > My response wasn't directed at just "what to do when the bosses don't > > listen", but also how to "not push your ideas to the point that > > you alienate > > the bosses you are trying to convince". Again, unless you are an > > officer of > > a company, or are the owner, you are often NOT in a "decision > > making" role. > > Therefore, the only thing you can do is to try and convince > > people to test a > > product before deployment. But you can't force your bosses to do > > something. > > And if you try to do so, you will risk your job and your professional > > reputation. > > > > Again, manpower issues and money issues are the key here. Even > > if the tools > > are free, it takes the use of "x man-hours" to test a product, > > when those "x > > man-hours" could be used towards something viewed as "more > profitable" or > > more important to the company by upper management. This is > > especially true > > when you are in a very small shop as I am. I can push all I > > want, but if I > > push too much, I run the risk of alienating the very people I > am trying to > > convince. And if I do alienate my "bosses", what have I gained > > for my group > > and "my cause"? Nothing. In fact, by pushing too far, I could end up > > hurting my group and my "cause" more, by not giving my management team a > > "graceful out" once they realize that I was probably right all > > along. This > > is called politics. And the higher you move up as an IT > professional, the > > more important the "how well you play the political game" > becomes vs. "how > > often you are right and your boss is wrong". > > > > Perhaps someone else on this list has a better approach to > > convincing their > > management team for taking the time and the money to do things such as > > testing. I'm always interested in hearing other/better > > approaches. But for > > me, this is the way I have approached all "opposition" to any IT > > recommendation that may be viewed as "not necessary, too costly, etc.", > > testing included. As I mentioned before, people and companies both make > > mistakes, and hopefully learn from them. Sometimes you just have to let > > your upper management make what you know is a decision that > will probably > > come back to haunt them, and then just move forward from that point on. > > > > Celeste > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ This list and all House of Fusion resources hosted by CFHosting.com. The place for dependable ColdFusion Hosting. Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/jrun-talk@houseoffusion.com/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
