Database System Load Testing & Tuning Overview

Database systems play an important role in the day-to-day operations of an organization or a business. Users count on the system to respond quickly and run smoothly. Many database systems perform poorly under heavy usage. Other times the response and throughput is sluggish for no apparent reason.

Tuning a database system can be complex because of the various components that make up the overall system: network, servers, database, application server, browser and program code. A multi-tier system is more difficult to tune than a simple client-server system because of all the interconnected components.

Inplexus has developed a load testing service that will simulate user interface activity. By configuring load-testing software to reproduce system usage, we can simulate hundreds or thousands of virtual users. During the load, measurements can be taken on the database, the database machine, the application server, the application server machine and the network. As a bottleneck is displayed in one of the system components, that component can be adjusted. Once the component is adjusted, the test can be re-run to determine if the adjustment improved the response time. Since different types of load will often tax system components in different ways, a variety of test scenarios can be run to analyze the system for performance problems during heavy activity.

Inplexus will come on site and work with the technical staff to test the system and suggest tuning options. The advantages of scheduled load testing include:
– Running multiple tests in a controlled environment (perhaps on a test system);
– Making adjustments to a component to see if that component performance improves;
– Quantify the precise amount of load that can be handled by the system components for test scenarios.

SCT Banner Load Test & Tuning
Inplexus is especially proficient when load testing and tuning the SCT Banner campus management application. This application runs in user’s browser to conduct transactions to an Oracle database through a middle tier application server. Inplexus has effectively tested and tuned campus systems using this service.

Click here for a brochure on the Inplexus loading and tuning service for Banner.

Click here for an actual case study on how Inplexus assisted a customer identify and overcome sluggish system performance with this unique loading and tuning service for Banner.