What Is Endurance Testing ?

Introduction:

Endurance Testing, a part of the software testing phase, aims at calculating the application's viability in coping with prolonged processing loads over an extended period. This approach addresses the software's memory consumption for possible failures in such an environment and appraises its performance quality.

Process of Endurance Testing:

The process of Endurance Testing consists of several keys:

• Set Up Environment: The test environment should mirror the production environment with databases, network configurations, hardware, and software.
• Test Plan Development: Prepare a comprehensive test plan, complete with goals, parameters, methodology, materials, schedule, and success criteria.
• Test Estimation: Compute resource requirements, including hardware, software, testing equipment, and labor, taking into consideration factors such as test duration and data volume.
• Risk Analysis: Discover potential risks involved with Endurance Testing and create plans on how to manage those risks.
• Test Schedule: Prepare a timetable for the test preparation, execution, monitoring, and analysis.
• Execution of the Test: Conduct the Endurance Test, subjecting the system to an extended workload and monitoring behavior, performance, and any obstacles.
• Test Closure: Evaluate test results against predefined success criteria, document performance measurements, issues, and recommendations for improvement.

Advantages of Endurance Testing:

Endurance Testing has the following benefits:

• Find out how much the system can be stressed.
• Identify the performance defects after extended usage.
• Find out memory leakage.
• Deal with expensive maintenance.
• Prove customer and client satisfaction.

Disadvantages of Endurance Testing:

Of course, Endurance Testing does not come without some challenges, including:

• Its consuming nature of time.
• Manual execution is impossible with Endurance Testing.
• Appropriate automation tool selection is imperative.
• Possible overstressing that may give rise to performance defects or loss of data.

References:

• "Software Testing: A Craftsman’s Approach" by Paul C. Jorgensen.
• "Software Testing: An ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Foundation Guide" by Brian Hambling and Rex Black.
• "Performance Testing with JMeter 2.9" by Bayo Erinle.
• "Load Testing with Apache JMeter" by Bayo Erinle.
• "Software Testing and Continuous Quality Improvement" by Ronald A. Radice.

Therefore, Endurance Testing comes in handy for organizing the availability and functionality of software applications. With the proper planning and carrying out of Endurance Tests, organizations can recognize and rectify potential performance issues, in a way that would lead to better-served users and enhance overall user satisfaction.