Software Testing - Endurance Testing

Software testing is done to verify that the software is working as per the specifications given by the customers. The endurance testing is performed at the time of performance testing to check if the software is able to withstand the load it is expected to bear for a long period of time. The memory usage is specially monitored at this time.

What is Software Endurance Testing?

The software endurance testing is conducted to gauge the response of a verified software in simulated circumstances for some time under the effect of specific load. The data collected during the endurance testing are utilized to upgrade specific variables of the software. The endurance testing is also called the soak or stress testing.

The software endurance testing is done to measure how well the software is able to resist the usage and users of the software for a long time. Its primary objective is to detect defects when the software is used over an increased period of schedule. These defects mainly surround the memory leaks, low performance etc. which may not come while using for a shorter term.

At the time of the endurance testing, a software is subjected to usage by a large number of users or under heavy load for hours or days. The outcome of this is examined for any performance degradation or capacity limitations, and any bugs identified during this process are taken up by the development team. This is performed on software which shall be moved to production very soon. It helps to detect issues which may not come up while it is being run for shorter cycles.

The software endurance test cases can be automated using different tools which can simulate the anticipated load and users on the software for a long time, for example hours, or days. It involves analyzing the software for extended hours and then gauging the various response parameters. It includes the verification of the platforms, and hardware up to or beyond the highest loads for a certain period of time.

Thus endurance testing is a testing technique which verifies the software under the influence of load stretched over a period of time to analyze the characteristics of the software during such circumstances. It is the part of the final stage of the performance testing cycle and ensures that the software is able to carry on with an expanded load without impacting its normal response time.

The software endurance testing is continued for a long time, and sometimes it is stretched up to a year. It is different from the load testing, as the load test cases are continued only for some time.

Process of Software Endurance Testing

The process of the software endurance testing are listed below −

Step 1 − Identify the test environment and set it up such that it is a copy of the production environment with similar network, database, hardware and software configurations.

Step 2 − Come up with the test plan consisting of the objectives, scopes, variables, outputs etc of the endurance testing methodologies. Define the acceptance criteria, metrics etc.

Step 3 − Provide an estimation of the hardware, software and resources required for the endurance testing by considering the length of test cycle, data, and any other factors that may impact the number of resources.

Step 4 − Determine potential risks, for example data corruption, device damage, network issues etc that may come up while performing the endurance tests. Then analyze the impact of these risks and have the plans in place to mitigate them.

Step 5 − Include the schedules for the different deliverables of the endurance testing. It should include the time required for the data set up, developing the test scripts, execution, analysis of test results etc.

Step 6 − Execute the endurance test cases as per the test plan by laying down a load for an extended period of time to simulate real life use cases. All the relevant information on the performance metrics, characteristics of the software, issues etc are collected during the execution process.

Step 7 − Once the test execution has been completed, the results are analyzed as per the acceptance criteria, and finally the report is shared with all the stakeholders.

Different Software Endurance Testing Tools

The different endurance testing tools are listed below −

• LoadRunner
• JMeter
• LoadComplete

Advantages of Software Endurance Testing

The advantages of the software endurance testing are listed below −

• The software endurance testing identifies the amount of load that the software is able to withstand.
• The software endurance testing identifies the performance issues which come up when the software is used for an extended period of time.
• The software endurance testing detects the memory leakages.
• The software endurance testing helps to reduce the maintenance cost of the software.
• The software endurance testing works towards building the customer's faith, trust, and satisfaction.
• The software endurance testing finds the performance issues namely the memory leakage, bad performance etc which are only encountered when the software is subjected to overuse or while it is used continuously for a specific amount of time.
• The software endurance testing improves the overall performance of the software.
• The software endurance testing simulates real life situations on usage, users etc which reduces the probability of finding errors in the production.
• The software endurance testing discovers software issues which generally do not come when the software is used for a shorter cycle.

Disadvantages of Software Endurance Testing

The disadvantages of the software endurance testing are listed below −

• The software endurance testing requires time, cost, and resources for its completion.
• The software endurance testing cannot be performed manually.
• The choice of the automation tool to carry out the software endurance testing is very important as it directly affects the results.
• It is difficult to understand how to apply the stress on the software.
• The software endurance testing can be performed by experienced, and skillful resources, and tools to simulate the heavy load for an extended period of time.
• The software endurance testing is complex.
• The defects identified during the software endurance testing are difficult to replicate.
• The software endurance testing does not cover all possible test scenarios and use cases.

Conclusion

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Endurance Testing. Weve started with describing what is software endurance testing, what is the process of the software endurance testing, what are the different software endurance testing tools, what are the advantages of software endurance testing, and what are the disadvantages of software endurance testing. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of Software Endurance Testing. It is wise to keep practicing what youve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.