Performance-testing a system with functional-test software and a transformation-accelerator

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for performance testing a system-under-test with functional-test software and a transformation accelerator, the method comprising:

• receiving a functional-test-template transaction at a first transformation accelerator from a functional test driver, wherein the functional-test-template transaction comprises plain text, and wherein the first transformation accelerator comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) transformation accelerator network appliance;
• using the first transformation accelerator to create a functional-test template from the functional-test-template transaction, wherein doing so comprises:
• translating the plain text in the functional test-template transaction into an XML document;
• specifying a number of repeats based on the system-under-test;
• receiving testing parameters at a second transformation accelerator, and wherein the second transformation accelerator comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) transformation accelerator network appliance;
• receiving the functional-test template at the second transformation accelerator, wherein the functional-test template is fillable with data from a source, and wherein the functional-test template, when invoked, generates one or more functional test transactions using the data;
• using the second transformation accelerator to invoke the functional-test template according to the testing parameters, wherein invoking the functional-test template comprises using XML transformations at the second transformation accelerator to create a set of functional-test transactions, wherein each functional-test transaction of the set of functional-test transactions comprises a corresponding subset of the data from the source, wherein the size of the set of functional-test transactions is based on the number of repeats, and wherein creating the functional-test transaction comprises determining the subset for the functional-test transaction based on the testing parameters and filling the functional-test template with the subset;
• sending the set of functional-test transactions to the system-under-test in parallel;
• receiving results for the set of functional-test transactions from the system-under-test;
• and
• queuing the results.

An apparatus configured for performance testing a system-under-test with functional-test software and a transformation accelerator, the method apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a first receiving mechanism configured to:
• receive a functional-test-template transaction at a first transformation accelerator from a functional test driver, wherein the functional-test-template transaction comprises plain text, and wherein the first transformation accelerator comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) transformation accelerator network appliance;
• and
• use the first transformation accelerator to create a functional-test template from the functional-test-template transaction, wherein doing so comprises:
• translating the plain text in the functional test-template transaction into an XML document;
• and
• specifying a number of repeats based on the system-under-test;
• receiving testing parameters at a second transformation
• a second receiving mechanism configured to receive testing parameters at a second transformation accelerator, and wherein the transformation accelerator comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) transformation accelerator network appliance;
• wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to receive the functional-test template at the second transformation accelerator, wherein the functional-test template is fillable with data from a source, and wherein the functional-test template, when invoked, generates one or more functional test transactions using the data;
• a manipulation mechanism configured to use the second transformation accelerator to invoke the functional-test template according to the testing parameters, wherein, while using the second transformation accelerator to invoke the functional-test template, the manipulation mechanism is configured to use XML transformations at the XML transformation accelerator to create a set of functional-test transactions, wherein each functional-test transaction of the set of functional-test transactions comprises a subset of the data from the source, wherein the size of the set of functional-test transactions is based on the number of repeats, and wherein, while creating the functional-test transaction, the manipulation mechanism is configured to determine the subset for the functional-test transaction based on the testing parameters and to fill the functional-test template with the subset;
• a transmission mechanism configured to send the set of functional-test transactions to the system-under-test in parallel;
• wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to receive results for the set of functional-test transactions from the system-under-test;
• and
• a queuing mechanism configured to queue the results.