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Configure the scenarios
NeoLoad scenarios are the first place to consider for time-saving mechanisms that can help achieve heavy loads.
It is recommended to special attention to the accuracy of the scenarios: Useless elements in scenarios must be removed or reconfigured. A proper sizing of the Load Generators helps check the scenarios are ready for heavy tests, as described in Cloud credits only: Size Cloud Load Generators.
Minimize the number of validations
The validations defined in the scenarios make sure that scenarios work as expected, and also that the load imposed by the test prevents errors in the application. Scenario validation is definitely an utmost useful operation when testing an application under heavy loads. However, validation is resource-hungry (for both CPU and memory).
It is necessary to find a trade-off between comprehensive results validation and excessive resource consumption. To achieve this balance, it is recommended that, for heavy load testing, validation is restricted to key pages only. For example, pages that provide access to a database, or pages more likely to produce errors.
A good practice includes setting up numerous, fine-grained validations during the first phase of the testing process. It is useful to acquire sufficient confidence in the application to restrict validations to those strictly necessary during the heavy load test phase. See Global validation.
Control variables value distribution
Variables are useful to add dynamic content to a scenario components, such as in form parameter values. Although variables are powerful features in NeoLoad, they are resource-consuming. For large tests, the number of variables must be under control. Irrelevant variables must be removed.
It is necessary to avoid variables that are Controller-based and require an excessive number of transactions between the Controller and the Load Generators.
When creating or editing a variable, the recommended policies are:
- Local scope where values are computed by each Load Generator, and
- Global scope with Any order where values are distributed once by the Controller to the Load Generators.
For general information about variables, see Variables. For more information about the distribution policies of variables values, see Value distribution policy.