Challenges of Performance Testing

Performance Testing is an essential stage in the process of development. Although it is crucial yet, it’s a frequently ignored stage in the development process. Many developers don’t show any interest in performing rigorous tests of their code to determine the performance of their code when put under high stress. It is interesting to note that sometimes people who make the decisions are the ones in charge who aren’t aware of how crucial tests for performance are.

The process of performance testing can be quite difficult. It is an extremely difficult job for the majority of teams. A lot of teams will not include performance testing as an integral component in the continual integration process. Instead, they’ll perform an assessment of their performance at the final stage of development that results in the creation of an entire new set of problems and changes to the code base to address performance bottlenecks before the time of the final release. It’s equally crucial to be aware of the complexities involved in performance testing. With this in mind, we have listed a few of the most difficult aspects of performance testing.

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1. Security Dangers

When testing products, one of the most challenging issues to address is security. It’s not just fake data anymore, we’re working with actual data. This fact increases the importance of handling data in a safe manner and requires caution when testing using existing customer data. The degree of protection for data will vary based on the specific application.

Certain software requires HIPAA compliance and comes with severe sanctions for noncompliance. Some, specifically those in the financial industry are characterized by a large amount of personally identifiable details (PII). Data breaches could lead to large lawsuits and severe results.

2. The incorrect interpretation of performance test results

The test procedure must be conducted by a qualified performance tester who is competent to assess the circumstances and be able to continually revise and add tests to ensure the consistency. The design of the application must be familiar to the tester.

Furthermore, the tester must be familiar with operating systems as well as web architecture as well as The OSI Model, Networking concepts such as data structures, concepts of performance for clients, as well as servers-side concepts of performance. They are able to analyze the results of tests quickly.

3. Testing in a production setting is difficult

To identify any issues within the manufacturing environment it is crucial to keep a watch on trends. Testing for performance should be conducted in a production environment , rather than a realistic setting.

If business requirements require the execution in a production environment, these activities should be executed only during non-business hours and allow enough time for any corrective measures that are required in the event of a failure in the production.

4. Invalid deployment capabilities

Testing in production requires the existence of a solid method of deployment. In the beginning, you’ll require the ability to deploy rapidly, which is a way of avoiding the manual deployments that are often prone to risk due to the inconsistency. In the next step, as mentioned, you’ll need to deploy more frequently in order to allow the safe incorporation of feature flags to your application. It is essential to be able make use of feature flags dynamically and not only switch them off and on as well as to modify their functions based on the user’s.

What is the best way to test in the production process?

Here are two efficient methods of testing in a real-world environment listed below –

A/B Testing: A/B testing in the production process is a method of testing. It is simply saying that two versions of a web site or application, or feature are released to see what users prefer. A/B testing must be successful when it is conducted with actual users, which is why it isn’t possible in the absence of the production environment. It provides crucial feedback to developers, testers and other users when it is done right.

Continuous Monitoring: The teams are able to detect problems with software that can be only found in production environments by constantly monitoring a test environment after software distribution. For example, in production the discovery of slow-loading pages within the web application can take on a completely new significance. This is because a website that has a smaller set of data and less traffic might take longer to load during staging.

Final thoughts:

Even if you are using an extremely dependent continuous integration workflow, the integration of tests for performance is an essential investment. Even if you have to sacrifice a small amount of time in tests, the advantages it can bring are well worth the cost. In addition, it is beneficial in helping you reduce the risk. It is impossible to ignore the importance of performing testing during the development process. 

Are you looking to outsource your software testing needs? You’ve come to the right place! At TFT, our main focus lies in software testing and in improving the quality of the product. We have an excellent team of skilled QA testers that employs all our resources to catch bugs and provide new enhancements. 

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