Web Performance Monitoring Methodologies

With so much riding on the availability and performance of e-commerce Web sites and

with competition continuing to grow every day one would expect performance monitoring to be integral to every sites operations plan. But according to an Internet Retailer survey, while most retailers conduct some kind of site monitoring, just 16 percent test performance from different geographic locations or during different dayparts, and only 16 percent perform specific transaction monitoring. The same survey indicates that fully a quarter of respondents performance-test their sites monthly or less, and more than 37 percent test weekly or less frequently.

Those who do monitor their site performance and that number is growing generally follow one of three methodologies.

Internal Measurement. The first is a strictly internal measurement procedure that consists of monitoring the internal servers and network. This provides a clear view of what is leaving the host site including how reliably and how fast data is being served out onto the Internet but it provides no perspective on what the experience is for the user at the other end. Passive monitoring can be added to track user sessions, and the data that is gathered can be extrapolated to create a generalized picture of the user experience. But such a picture is at best a second-hand approximation and offers little actionable data.

End-User Monitoring. A second methodology puts software out on actual users machines to monitor their sessions, collect performance data, and run a synthetic browser to test performance of specific aspects of a site. This method has the advantages of testing at the other end of the transaction, with real end users, as well as scalability to encompass large numbers of users. However, the fact that it uses real end users is both an advantage and a disadvantage. There is no way to control for the type of computer, processor speed, task load, or connection, among other critical variables. For example, a user could be engaged in a processor-intensive task, or perhaps relocate from office to home or wireless caf, any of which can dramatically impact performance measurement. So while this method provides more data, it is only incrementally more actionable than data gathered by the first method.

And then you have it running on different users desktops. So if you see a significant slowdown, is it because they just started AutoCAD to render a huge file? Did they start downloading a video? Are they streaming music? You cant really know whats going on, whats causing the slowdown.

Browser-Based Dedicated Agents. The third and arguably the gold standard methodology is to deploy computers around the globe and have them use real Internet browsers to log on to the site, view pages, perform tasks, stream the video to actually work the site as a user would work it. All the computers are identical, all configured with exactly the same processor, memory, etc. No other tasks are performed except for the testing. The types of connection are identified and constant dial-up, DSL, cable, 3G. It is essentially a global clean room environment for real-world, real-time testing of site performance, with all variables controlled, so a clear and objective measurement of performance can be taken.

Its going through a business process. For example, if you are in the airline industry, the agents would be going onto your home page and trying to book a ticket and then make that reservation, and do it over and over and over again from all these different locations.

by: Chris samuels

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