FAQs for Webserver Stress Tool
FAQs: Frequently asked questions
On this page we have compiled a list of common questions and tips about Webserver Stress Tool, sorted into four groups:
Also, please have look at the Webserver Stress Tool Knowledge Base and our support forums.
Common Pre-Sales Questions
Q: What are the benefits of using this tool?
A: The simplicity of Webserver Stress Tool means any webmaster, programmer, or administrator of a web site can test a webserver/web application under heavy load in real-time. This provides unparalleled ability to quickly adjust webserver configurations for optimal performance (i.e. when a new feature or content is launched).
Q: How long does it take to learn the usage?
A: Any webmaster or network administrator can use this web testing tool with little guidance. If you want to see how simple it is to assess your webserver using Webserver Stress Tool please have a look at the manual.
Q: How long does it take to install and be running?
A: After running the standard installer it takes a few minutes to configure and start a test. Several customers reported to us that they found a long searched bug in their software within 15 minutes after ordering and installing Webserver Stress Tool.
Q: What support is available?
A: Please check our support pages.
Q: What documentation is provided?
A: Paessler provides a detailed, printable Adobe Acrobat help manual that is both included in the software and downloadable from this website. Webserver Stress Tool also features the same support content integrated into a helpfile.
Q: What is the license model for Webserver Stress Tool?
Please see at the bottom of the order page.
Q: Can I meet with users who are achieving real benefits using this tool?
A: Please click on "Testimonials" on the right.
Q: What influence do tool users have on future development of the tool?
A: We always try to implement suggestions and feature requests from our end users. It is this invaluable input that will continue to make Webserver Stress Test a leading, cost-effective tool for businesses to maximize webserver technologies. Paessler also provides other custom programming upon request.
Edition Comparison
| Professional Edition | Enterprise Edition | Enterprise Edition 5 User License | Enterprise Edition Site License | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum number of simulated simultaneous users | 100 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Minimum Click Delay (Think Time) | 5 sec | 0 sec | 0 sec | 0 sec |
| SSL/HTTPS Support | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Technical Pre-Sales Questions
Q: What does this tool do?
A: Webserver Stress Tool simulates lots of users by sending http-requests to a webserver. It works with almost any server based technology like asp, jsp, cfm, or java. Many different load patterns can be generated with this web testing tool.
Q: What does this tool not do?
A: This web testing tool does not simulate the client based processes (e.g. javascripts or java applets running inside the webbrowser). It simulates the HTTP requests (for webpages, HTML, images, frames, etc.) sent by a computer a user uses to access a website.
Nevertheless websites using JavaScript/Java can usually be tested. Since most client side scripts create nothing else but HTTP requests, it is still possible to test such web sites. You can record the URLs using the included URL recorder for the test or you can write your own script with the URLs to test.
Q: What volume and throughput can the tool cope with?
A: Webserver Stress Tool simulates anything between 1 and 10.000 users. The maximum number of simultaneous users that can be simulated successfully depends on the power of the client machine Webserver Stress Tool runs on. E.g. we have tested up to 10.000 users on a Xeon 2.8 Ghz machine with hyperthreading.
Q: What environment is needed to run this tool?
A: Webserver Stress Tool runs under Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003. The preferred operating environment is Windows XP/2000/2003 on a workstation with at least a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, and a fast network connection. The target webservers can be of any operating system.
Q: How much disk space and RAM does it use?
A: 5-10 MB of disk space plus space for the log files (can be several MB) and about 100 kb of RAM per simulated user.
Questions About The Usage
Q: Why does Webserver Stress Tool show errors when I run it against my server? When I access the website with my browser I don't see errors.
A: In most cases when people write us about errors when using Webserver Stress Tool, they have discovered exactly what Webserver Stress Tool is designed to discover: Problems with scripts or webservers that crash or fail when multiple users access it simultaneously. You can be quite sure that you have a server problem if you get errors other than "timeout" and "404". For example the error code 500 (internal server error) is never generated by Webserver Stress Tool but by the webserver.
Here are some tips:
- Run the test with just one user, increase the number of users step by step. If that works with one or a few users without errors it is almost certain that your website has a problem with simultaneous users
- Enable Write Detailed and User Logs and Write Headers to Log and review the user logfiles for hints about the problem
- Enable Save All HTML files and review the resulting webpages
- Review the webserver's or the application's error log file