Frequently Asked Questions
I am trying to test a Web Server what type of software should I use?
This depends on the purpose of the test. If you are trying to validate how well a server will handle high volumes of Http requests - a network traffic generator may satisfy your requirements. It can be used to request a large number of pages from the Server. If the purpose is to validate an applications performance on a server or servers you will want software that can simulate many users conducting transactions. You would want to choose a Software Load/Stress testing tool.
Before taking our application live, I want to understand how my server resources will be used when many users are executing my application?
Good application Load and Stress testing tools not only provide statistics on the success of transactions they also incorporate those statistic with statistics gathered on server performance. Most problems have to do with the performance bottlenecks that arise when multiple users need to access a common resource. For example, if your site depends on a single, common database, then the speed of data access could become an issue if your database queries are not efficient. Incorrect use of multithreading in web applications can be another problem. Excessive disk access or memory leaks may also cause problems. Load and Stress testing software that simulates many user transactions can help identify those problems.
I am trying to test a WAN connection what should I use?
It is important to test WAN long lines, satellite, wireless with a network traffic generator that generates stateful network traffic at various speeds, traffic generator require a device to generate traffic at each endpoint. The traffic generator has the ability to monitor packets for throughput and correctness.
I am trying to test a Firewall what should I use?
LANforge has been used for Firewall testing by both makers and end users who wish to validate specifications or test to the customer's desired peak traffic loads. In essence the primary objective is to understand how the Firewall will behave under heavy load. Performance and Stress Testing isolates any scalability or limitation issues of the firewall product and determines the performance limits of the firewall.
What can I use to test the configuration of my network equipment before deployment?
LANforge TCP and UDP Traffic can be used to test network device configuration. For IP based protocols, you can specify the ToS (aka QoS) bits in the IP header. This can be useful for testing QoS settings in the device under test. Also, LANforge supports creation and deletion of 802.1Q VLANs. 802.1Q VLANs speak a slightly different protocol on the ethernet network. This allows LANforge to test VLAN configuration as well.