Benefits of Software Scalability Testing

Growth is the underlying goal of every business and as businesses are growing, their software assets or resources should grow alongside. To ensure the capability of a software to grow, performing scalability testing is necessary. A software application should be built in such a way that it can accommodate future growth like increase in user traffic, transaction counts and frequency, and data volume.

Although, there are several software tests that can improve digital applications including unit test, load test, black and white box tests etc., scalability test is however, imperative for the growth of any organization operating in the digital market.

As organizations develop, the services they offer will also be delivered at greater capacities. For them to reach these new heights, there is the need for the improvement of quality of the digital platform behind their success – this can be achieved if the digital platform is scalable.

What is Scalability Testing?

This is a non-functional software testing process that test the ability of a system, a network, a process or a database, to continue to function well when it is changed in size or volume in order to meet a growing need.

Scalability testing ensures that an application can handle projected growth while it is performed to demonstrate a system’s ability to adapt to changes and offers smooth performance for users while optimizing development and various operational costs.

When a software is goes through this type of test, it means that there is a prediction or plan for future up scaling or down scaling. However, it is very important to test the scalability of a system before it is released to the market.

Scalability Testing Attributes

Below are few attributes that should be covered when testing scalability:

  1. Throughput
  2. Response time
  3. Transaction frequency
  4. Performance measurement with many users
  5. CPU usage
  6. Screen transition
  7. Memory usage
  8. Network usage
  9. Web server

How to Perform Scalability Testing

  1. Define a repeatable process (test scenarios)
  2. Determine the criteria for scalability such as low, medium and high loads
  3. Select required software testing tools
  4. Set up a stable test environment and configure the hardware necessary for the execution of scalability tests
  5. Define a set of virtual users for varying user loads.
  6. Execute the test scenarios.
  7. Repeat the test scenarios for varying conditions of internal applications, hardware and database changes.
  8. Evaluate the results
  9. Generate required reports
  10. Verify the areas of improvement, if any.

Benefits of Scalability Testing

  1. Testing scalability helps determine user experience under heavy load, when the system is subjected to different levels of stress, so that corrective measures can be taken in advance to rectify problems that arises, if any.
  2. Scaling up apps can be expensive, however testing scalability helps organization observe the expenses involve with upgrading or downgrading their systems while helping them put in place adequate plans for when the needs arises.
  3. When a software application has being proper tested for scalability, it makes maintaining (software maintenance) the software much easier. Scalability can guarantee the good durability and life of a digital product.
  4. Performing rigorous scalability test can help reduce the risk of huge loss of money and company’s reputation associated with bad performance of an application.
  5. It helps to determine various performance issues in an application in the testing phase which can save a lot of time and money at the long run.

Conclusion

Software testing is an integral part of software engineering process which is done to assure the quality of a software and when not done properly, it can cause huge loss of money and reputation in the market for any organization.

Scalability – being a strong point for software owners especially for those who want their software applications to grow alongside their business, must be effectively implemented to make sure that all kinds of fluctuations, upwards or downwards, will not affect performance metrics of software applications.

In order to carry out scalability test, skilled and experienced professionals are required. Companies like PODTECH offer all-round software testing which include every aspect of both functional and non-functional testing as well as maintenance and regression testing.