Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home IT Management
    • IT Management

    Web Testing Tools Put to the Test

    By
    Francis Chu
    -
    June 7, 2004
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      With the introduction of new applications and development platforms, enterprise Web infrastructures are becoming increasingly complex. Web testing tools will help IT managers assess server performance under anticipated loads and perform capacity planning tasks, but finding the right tool to fit an enterprises testing requirements can be a challenge.

      Analysis: Web Testing Tools Put to the TestReview: SilkPerformer 6.5 Enterprise EditionReview: e-Test Suite 6.8Review: QACenter Performance Edition 5.1

      eWEEK Labs evaluated three Web application testing suites that offer similar core testing capabilities: Empirix Inc.s e-Test Suite 6.8, Segue Software Inc.s SilkPerformer 6.5 Enterprise Edition and Compuware Corp.s QACenter Performance Edition 5.1. However, each suite provides a vastly different feature set.

      Segue Softwares SilkPerformer is the most expensive product we tested, but it provides an impressive array of testing tools packaged with an intuitive user interface and built-in automation capabilities. It also supports a wide range of technologies and enterprise applications.

      Empirixs e-Test Suite offers smooth script-creation capabilities using open standards and has a relatively low price.

      Compuwares QACenter offers a flexible licensing structure, allowing companies with tighter budgets to set up shared-resource pools for a more cost-effective use of the virtual user license.

      A good Web testing tool should ease script creation. IT buyers should look for a system with an intuitive UI and for workflow management capabilities that will guide nonprogrammers through scripting and debugging.

      The built-in test-automation capabilities of the products we tested wont eliminate the need for a dedicated test staff or quality assurance engineers, but they will generate large test loads while automating data collection and reporting. This will increase productivity, save time and improve test repeatability.

      To make it possible to perform end-to-end testing across every aspect of the enterprise application infrastructure, a tool must be able to support a large portfolio of application environments, Web services and development frameworks. Of the products we tested, SilkPerformer leads the pack in this area, while e-Test Suite is a close second.

      Customizable workloads that emulate real-life client actions will ensure that Web applications can handle realistic load conditions. Most test suites, including the ones we evaluated, allow connection speeds to be tweaked, realistically limiting the upload and download speeds of multiple connections and different browser emulations.

      Strong data analysis and reporting capabilities will shorten test cycles and allow IT administrators to manage data more efficiently. Root-cause analysis and data-correlation capabilities enable testers to pin down problems and fix bottlenecks quickly.

      A test suite also must be able to scale according to the growth of the application under test. As larger test sites employ a distributed testing infrastructure, a capable management framework will also be needed. All the products we tested can be deployed in a distributed architecture, with SilkPerformer leading in the number of virtual users that can be supported.

      Down the road, we expect to see more integration between testing suites and application life-cycle management products.

      Technical Analyst Francis Chu can be reached at francis_chu@ziffdavis.com.

      Check out eWEEK.coms Developer & Web Services Center at http://developer.eweek.com for the latest news, reviews and analysis in programming environments and developer tools.

      Be sure to add our eWEEK.com developer and Web services news feed to your RSS newsreader or My Yahoo page

      Francis Chu
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×