RadView Case Study--Georgia Tech Implements WebLOAD for 24/7 IT Performance Testing

Overview

Georgia Tech’s WebLOAD implementation transforms educational IT infrastructure testing at one of America’s premier technology institutions. The strategic deployment ensures 24/7 system reliability for over 40,000 users across Banner, PeopleSoft, and research portal platforms, setting new standards for academic IT performance testing

Challenge

Dr. James Logan and his small team were tasked with the enormous responsibility of maintaining 24/7, 365-day uptime for all IT assets, crucial for the university’s operations. This included the Ellucian Banner system, the Research Portal, Oracle PeopleSoft, Drupal websites, and Cold Fusion applications. The challenge was to preempt performance issues, especially during peak times like registration week.

Solution

To meet this challenge head-on, Georgia Tech selected RadView WebLOAD for its ability to conduct detailed and complex performance simulations across their mixed ERP and web portal environment. WebLOAD’s capabilities allowed Dr. Logan’s team to run regression analyses and monitor transaction over time, ensuring the systems could handle high traffic without downtime.

Implementation

Dr. Logan developed a rigorous testing methodology, utilizing Little s Law for determining virtual user load and automated scripts to simulate real-world scenarios. This approach allowed for detailed performance analysis, using metrics such as response time and CPU usage, to identify and address potential bottlenecks.

Evaluation and results

The evaluation of the performance data captured by RadView WebLOAD confirmed the effectiveness of Georgia Tech’s IT systems under various load conditions. The systems demonstrated resilience, with key performance indicators like ‘All Portlets Display Time’ remaining stable across all tests. Anomalies detected were analyzed and addressed, ensuring the systems’ reliability.

Conclusion

Georgia Tech’s strategic implementation of RadView WebLOAD for performance testing has fortified the reliability of its critical IT systems, ensuring uninterrupted service and optimal performance year-round.

This case study exemplifies the institution’s proactive approach to maintaining system excellence, leveraging advanced tools to preemptively address potential issues and sustain its commitment to technological leadership in higher education.