Micro Focus Rolls Out SilkPerformer CloudBurst

July 9, 2010

SilkPerformer CloudBurst is a peak demand load testing capability based on Micro Focus Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) technology. CloudBurst extends Micro Focus’ load and performance testing solution SilkPerformer out to the cloud. With CloudBurst, SilkPerformer enables testing organizations to easily manage large load tests that emulate hundreds of thousands of users from multiple global points of presence and to quickly diagnose and resolve discovered issues.

As organizations develop web applications that will be used by many thousands of users worldwide, traditional load testing methods have fallen short. These methods require far too much hardware and are not able to scale to meet the demands of today’s web applications. SilkPerformer CloudBurst utilizes the cloud to meet these resource demands using a flexible, pay-as-you-go, consumption-based pricing model.

By extending SilkPerformer’s on-premise model with cloud load-generation technology, CloudBurst enables customers the flexibility to drive load from either on-premise or in the cloud or both at the same time. This model also has the advantage of being able to monitor the underlying systems and provide performance diagnostics with one integrated product.

"There are considerable benefits to a hybrid approach for testing as a service that incorporates both worlds – having on-premise controllers for SaaS testing provides ease of access to monitoring applications and to performance data on 'the cloud'," said Melinda Ballou, program director of IDC's Application Life-Cycle Management service. "Also, a licensing model that lets users mix and match both permanent on-premise and adaptive SaaS solutions enables flexible licensing and adoption strategies at a time when companies remain resource constrained."

In order to handle the complexity of today’s Web 2.0 applications, Micro Focus SilkPerformer CloudBurst also delivers a new generation of load-generation technology called Browser Driven Load Testing, which cuts scripting and script maintenance time in half and more accurately emulates end user loads on Web 2.0 applications.

“CloudBurst’s unique approach to leverage the cloud gives our customers the advantage of being able to load test and analyze the performance of all of their applications whether they are Internet-facing or internal and mix-and-match permanent or consumption-based licensing models to meet their needs,” said Rich Novak, president and general manager of the Micro Focus Application Management and Quality Division.

“SilkPerformer CloudBurst allows us to help customers drive Continuous Quality Assurance methods in terms of performance testing. The ability to test from anywhere to anywhere and to easily and quickly harness the resources needed to drive loads allows performance testing to be accomplished earlier in the life cycles and leveraged more often. That is what Micro Focus’ Continuous Quality Assurance is all about, eliminating defects earlier in the development lifecycle at less cost,” said Novak.

Micro Focus SilkPerformer CloudBurst is available immediately.