Run load tests from a written runbook

How to do it

Keep the runbook next to the code, as Keep runbooks next to the code they run says. Run against a staging copy, unless the owner agrees in writing to a production test. See Get written permission first and Test on a copy of the system. Start an outside uptime check from another network before the first request, as Watch the service from outside says. Measure each endpoint alone first, one request at a time, and record the status, time to first byte, size and server time. Then fetch the heaviest single requests one at a time, as Prove one request cannot stall the site says. Only then raise parallel requests in steps, such as 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32, holding each step for 60 seconds. Stop at the first 5xx, the first failed outside check, or a small page that takes over 5 seconds. Write down the step where it broke and turn it into a check, as Test load against a budget does.

How to check

The repository holds the runbook with all six parts named. The notes from the last load test are under 12 months old. They list each step with its results, and the step where it stopped and why.

Related rules

• ENG-31 Keep runbooks next to the code they run in Engineering
• SEC-1 Get written permission first in Adversarial testing
• SEC-2 Test on a copy of the system in Adversarial testing
• ENG-24 Watch the service from outside in Engineering
• TST-54 Prove one request cannot stall the site in Testing
• TST-36 Test load against a budget in Testing