Volume testing checks a system, putting it under some pressure by using a million files. Thanks to it we can be sure that everything is functioning correctly and without defects.

These actions allow increasing the load on the system in order to find weak spots of logging which require special configurations and processing. Obviously, volume testing is extremely important when releasing qualitative and safe software.

Classic performance testing or load testing is a special combination of volume testing and editing performance settings. They guarantee that software is working according to common requirements.

Concept of Volume Testing

Volume testing is a special process which focuses on checking the software when a developed web product is under simultaneous loads of big data. This kind of testing is also known as flow testing.

We execute such a process to analyze the current performance of the system by the continuous increase of data amount in the particular database.

QA specialists use volume testing to illustrate the impact of response time and to analyze the behavior of a web system. Moreover, this check allows us to understand how the software behaves when it needs to process a huge amount of information.

Example of Volume Testing

Imagine that we have a music site where you can download songs from a huge file library.

What are the advantages of volume testing in this case?

• Volume testing allows checking a maximum load to see how much one needs to pay for technical equipment maintenance.
• This test helps to analyze the current system scalability and its potential increasing.
• Also, these checks can find weaknesses of software functionality and ways to fix them.

What are the components of such testing?

• Check for data loss that was previously added to the system.
• System response time test.
• Verifying the data which should be stored exactly where it was indicated in the system.
• Have the data been overwritten without any warning?
• Does the increasing amount of data affect the speed of the system?
• Does the system have enough internal memory or not?
• Verification of requirements for user agreement;
• Checking the size of data that should not be displayed more than it is specified in the software configuration.

Stages of Test Execution

Software testing requires checking of the whole system performance and includes some steps which are connected with volume testing.

1. Test control with a check of the current test environment.
2. Data evaluation.
3. Testing of used tools.
4. System implementation.
5. Virtual establishment of the testing environment.
6. Development of an automated group of the testing environment and additional frameworks.
7. Creation of test cases.
8. Test execution.
9. Analysis of incoming data.

Why Is It Important to Perform Volume Testing?

As we mentioned above, the volume testing’s aim is to check the system parameters as well as to analyze some personalized benefits of future software usage.

Now let’s analyze the main advantages of software volume testing.

Full coverage of the software architecture

As we can see from its name, volume testing checks the whole web product.

Clearly, it helps to get all the necessary information about correct software performance, even if the product has big scalability.

It is perfect for testing and analysis of big data

Undoubtedly, you should thoroughly test all the established technical requirements for the system store. It means that you cannot avoid volume testing.

Obviously, these checks allow finding the hidden problems of software configuration. Therefore, some preventive work will let developers reach the necessary level of technical maintenance.

Defects identifying and minimization

Volume testing minimizes the risk connected with performance decrease and potential failures that may be provoked by increasing loads in the database.

There can be a monitoring of system performance during such test execution. Moreover, it allows us to find weak spots in software configurations as well as solving hidden problems.

Detailed technical analysis

This testing is full of extremely important information about big databases operations. Furthermore, volume testing can answer the questions about deployment and improvement of system architecture, if necessary.

Test for data loss

Only after performing volume testing, you can be sure that all information used for the test wasn’t lost (fully or partly).

Such a step also allows estimating the system efficiency with future extension without detriment to the quality of operating data.

Data storage

Volume testing guarantees that information is located in the correct place and proper form.

This is a very critical moment because if the information is in the right format and designated space, an end user will be able to operate the completely safe and accurate data.

Objectives of Volume Testing

There are two main objectives of volume testing:

• To check the potentially maximum load which the system can withstand after release. If this test isn’t successful, the product quality can be endangered.
• To find all the potential problems before the product will have the volume measures mentioned in the agreement for maintenance standard.

Testers and developers should take into account these objectives and work with the working system which will meet all the expectations.

Effective Tips for Using the Volume Testing

• You should test every used server for complete functionality;
• It is better to correctly perform app operating scenario before the initial test load;
• Developer should not set the software technical specifications according to some number of potential users;
• After the performing the functional testing on a basic level you should check the product for potential improvements;
• Be careful with new software versions (it concerns any products which software testing company releases).

In conclusion, we can say that volume testing plays a very important role during the thorough and effective checking of any software. Its technical aspect focuses on architecture performance and scalability.

Volume testing, as well as performance testing, allows analyzing the technical side of the system, finding weak spots there and solving them, if possible.