Time Names in Workload Context

The following time values can be configured in the Select and adjust Workload and Workload Configuration dialogs:

Measurement	Description
Warm-up time	A load test starts with an optional warm-up time. Measures taken during the warm-up time are not used in the reports. The warm-up time can be used to exclude the start-up tasks of a test (such as allocating and initializing memory or building up caches) from the measured part of the test.
Measurement time	The measurement time is the time between the optional warm-up time and the optional close-down time. During the measurement time, measures are taken and then used in the reports once the test is completed. Typically, the measurement time extends to the end of the simulation time. If the measurement time is set to `0`, all measures taken between the warm-up time and the end of the simulation time are considered in the reports.
Close-down time	A load test ends with an optional close-down time, which is the time between the end of the measurement time and the end of the load test. Measures taken during the close-down time are not used in the reports. The close-down time can be used to exclude the closing tasks of a test (such as shutting down the virtual users) from the measured part of the test. If the specified simulation time is longer than the sum of the warm-up time and the measurement time, the close-down time starts during the simulation time.

Measurement

Description

Warm-up time

A load test starts with an optional warm-up time. Measures taken during the warm-up time are not used in the reports. The warm-up time can be used to exclude the start-up tasks of a test (such as allocating and initializing memory or building up caches) from the measured part of the test.

Measurement time

The measurement time is the time between the optional warm-up time and the optional close-down time. During the measurement time, measures are taken and then used in the reports once the test is completed. Typically, the measurement time extends to the end of the simulation time.

If the measurement time is set to 0, all measures taken between the warm-up time and the end of the simulation time are considered in the reports.

Close-down time

A load test ends with an optional close-down time, which is the time between the end of the measurement time and the end of the load test. Measures taken during the close-down time are not used in the reports. The close-down time can be used to exclude the closing tasks of a test (such as shutting down the virtual users) from the measured part of the test.

If the specified simulation time is longer than the sum of the warm-up time and the measurement time, the close-down time starts during the simulation time.

Measurement	Description
Simulation time	The simulation time is the time of the load test excluding the ramp-down time. It can also be described as the sum of the ramp-up time (for increasing workloads) and the steady time.
Ramp-up time	During the ramp-up time, Silk Performer gradually increases the number of virtual users. The ramp-up parameters can be set in the Select and adjust Workload dialog or in the Workload Configuration dialog. For example, you can specify to start a load test with 10 virtual users (Start) and add 2 virtual users (Add) every 30 seconds (Interval) until reaching a maximum of 20 virtual users (max. VUsers). The ramp-up time can only be specified for workloads using the Increasing workload model.
Steady time	During the steady time, no more virtual users are added. The number of virtual users remains steady during this time and equals the specified maximum number of virtual users (max. VUsers).
Ramp-down-time	During the ramp-down time, Silk Performer gradually decreases the number of virtual users to zero. Since the ramp-down happens during the close-down time, it does not influence the reports. If an end transaction is defined for a virtual user and the profile setting Call end transaction for stopped virtual users is enabled, the end transaction will be executed during the ramp-down time. Specifying a ramp-down time also allows you to gradually stop running virtual users to avoid that all virtual users perform the end transaction at the same time. The ramp-down parameters can be set in the Select and adjust Workload dialog or in the Workload Configuration dialog. For example, you can specify to stop 10 virtual users (Stop) every 30 seconds (Interval). This translates into a certain ramp-down time depending on the number of virtual users defined in the workload. If the ramp-down time is set to `0` and the profile setting Call end transaction for stopped virtual users is enabled, all related virtual users execute the end transaction simultaneously. If no end transaction exists, the virtual users stop immediately.