Patent ID: 7516042

Claim:
A method for performing a load test based upon user pace comprising the steps of: providing a load testing application; receiving a test mix matrix comprising a plurality of user profiles, a user profile corresponding to a type of user expected to use a system to be tested, each user profile comprising a different set of associated transactions to be performed by the system to be tested, where the transactions each have an associated respective user pace, the user paces comprising pre-determined frequencies of the respective transactions; computing test start time intervals for the user profiles of the test mix matrix, respectively, the test start time interval of a user profile being based on total frequency of the pre-determined frequencies of the load test settings of the transactions in the user profile; and performing a load test with the load testing application using the text mix, where the user profiles of the test mix matrix are executed in parallel, and where the transactions of a user profile are initiated for execution at a pace that is based on the test start time interval of the user profile, the transactions of the user interval starting at intervals based on the test start time interval of the user profile, whereby transactions of a user profile execute at time intervals based on the total transaction frequency of the user profile.