Software performance

Top five software quality tips of the year

Check out SearchSoftwareQuality.com’s most popular tips of 2008 — these top five tips for developers, QA testers, project managers and other software pros include indispensable expert advice on performance testing, software testing estimates and more. If you missed these great tips the first time around, don’t miss them now.

1. Cracking passwords the Web application way: Do you know how well your Web applications can stand up to authentication attacks? In this application security tip, Kevin Beaver, CISSP, lists some common Web app vulnerabilities and explains how to perform password cracking tests.

2. The ABC’s of software testing models: There are as many models for testing software as for developing software. Learn the basics of the common software testing models including waterfall-style, iterative-style and agile-style testing.

3. Testing for performance: Assess the problem space: Part one in a three-part series on performance testing, this tip explains how to assess the initial problem space before the first round of testing, including developing an understanding of your goals, how the systems will be used and other strategies.

4. What to include in a performance test plan: Find out what features a solid performance testing plan needs to include at a minimum, and how to reduce the likelihood of miscommunication.

5. How to estimate for testing on a new software project: How do you estimate for software testing on a brand-new project when you have no historical data for reference? Learn some methods in this tip.

What are the top software tools of 2008?

As the year starts to wind down, we at SearchSoftwareQuality.com are looking back at what took place during 2008. One thing that we’re focusing on is the tools and solutions that were released. In an effort to help our readers understand what tools are available to help them, we are creating a guide to tools released in 2008 to be published in January.

In order for us to do that, we need your help identifying tools that were released. The tool categories we’re focusing on:

• Software testing
• Test management
• Code quality
• Application security
• Software requirements
• Agile development
• Project management
• Application lifecycle management
• Application performance monitoring & management

Please send us information about tools released between Jan. 1, 2008, and Oct. 31, 2008, that you’d like us to consider for the guide. The tools must be new products or significant upgrades. And you must include the following information:

• Product name and version/model number
• Company name
• URL for the product
• Product or company logo
• Date product was released
• Tool category (see above)
• Product description
• If it’s an upgrade, features that were added
• What makes it innovative?
• Details about how it performs
• Details about its ease of use and manageability
• Pricing

Send your product submissions to Editor@SearchSoftwareQuality.com by Friday, Dec. 12.

Addressing software performance issues

In order to maximize software performance, you need to be able to measure that software’s performance — response time, throughput, etc. The Computer Measurement Group is one group that takes this seriously. It is a non-profit organization whose members write articles and give presentations on capacity and performance management for computers, as well as software performance engineering.

The organization has a yearly conference, which this year will focus on the increased use of virtualization. But it also has a track dedicated to computer performance evaluation.

The organization also publishes an eZine called MeasureIT. In it you’ll find technical advice for improving software and system performance and career advice.

Dr. Michael Salsburg, a director for CMG, said the content contributors produce focuses on how to measure performance, analytics, and modeling and forecasting. “They look into how you would consider solving the problem,” he said.

If you’re looking for advice in that area, it’s worth checking out the CMG’s site.