Load variation policy

Load variation policy

Specifies the number and variety of Virtual Users to be generated. Select one or more Populations to test and the load policy for each Population.

Standard mode

Constant Generates a fixed number of Virtual Users.
Ramp-up Generates a number of Virtual Users that increases throughout the test. Useful for checking the server behavior under an increasing load. The increase time frame may be set within precision of 0.1 time unit.
Peaks Generates a fixed number of Virtual Users with periodic phases of high load. Useful for checking whether the server recovers its normal behavior after a load peak. The time periods may be set within precision of 0.1 time unit.
Custom Allows you to set the load to be applied by plotting the Virtual User variation curve. You may import the curve using a CSV file. The file must be in the format Time (seconds) <separator> Number of users.

Iteration mode

In this mode, the Population is played for the number of iterations specified in the panel. Each simulated user is run for a predetermined number of iterations without any break between iterations. Towards the end of the test, some users will have finished their iterations and some others will still be active, which is why the load decreases until all the users are finished.

For ramp-up or peak load, adding users for a new phase takes place once all existing users have finished their iterations. Before each new phase therefore, and depending on the Virtual User definition, the load may drop to 0.

Constant: Defines the number of play iterations for the Virtual Users.
Ramp-up: The Number of iterations field allows you to set the test duration, since the test ends once each Virtual User launched for a first iteration completes the number of iterations entered in the Number of iterations (for each initial user) field. Subsequent users launched at each increment do not affect the test duration.
Example: a ramp-up load of 10 users, incremented by 2 users every 5 iterations. Running the test with the number of iterations set at 20 will give the following load:

10 users for 5 iterations
12 users for 5 iterations
14 users for 5 iterations
and finally 16 users for 5 iterations. (The test ends once the first 10 users have completed 20 iterations.)

Peak: The Number of iterations field allows you to set the test duration, since the test ends once each Virtual User launched for the first peak stage completes the number of iterations entered in the Number of iterations (for each initial user) field. Subsequent users launched for each peak do not affect the test duration.
Example: a minimum peak load of 10 users for 5 iterations and a maximum peak load of 20 users for 3 iterations. Running the test with the number of iterations set at 20 will give the following load:

10 users for 5 iterations
20 users for 3 iterations
10 users for 5 iterations
20 users for 3 iterations
and finally 10 users for 4 iterations.(The test ends once the first 10 users have completed 20 iterations.)

Custom: The number of Virtual Users to be launched and the number of iterations are set by plotting the load curve. You may import the curve using a CSV file. The file must have the following format : iteration count <separator> Number of users.

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Constant	Generates a fixed number of Virtual Users.
Ramp-up	Generates a number of Virtual Users that increases throughout the test. Useful for checking the server behavior under an increasing load. The increase time frame may be set within precision of 0.1 time unit.
Peaks	Generates a fixed number of Virtual Users with periodic phases of high load. Useful for checking whether the server recovers its normal behavior after a load peak. The time periods may be set within precision of 0.1 time unit.
Custom	Allows you to set the load to be applied by plotting the Virtual User variation curve. You may import the curve using a CSV file. The file must be in the format Time (seconds) <separator> Number of users.