Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Load Test Feature Pack

  • Article

The Visual Studio 2010 Load Test Feature Pack provides Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate users who have active MSDN subscriptions a license key to generate unlimited virtual users.

Important

The Visual Studio 2010 Load Test Feature pack requires an active Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate with MSDN subscription.

To download the feature pack, visit MSDN Subscribers Downloads. For more information about the feature pack, see Visual Studio 2010 Feature Packs on MSDN.

Ordinarily, the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate product lets you use up to 250 virtual users on a local load test run. Therefore, if your load testing requires more than 250 virtual users, or if you have to use remote machines, you must purchase one or more copies of Visual Studio Load Test Virtual User Pack 2010. Each Visual Studio Load Test Virtual User Pack 2010 includes a license for an additional 1000 users and enables using virtual users on remote machines.

Tip

Another benefit from installing either the unlimited virtual user license in this feature pack or Visual Studio Load Test Virtual User Pack 2010 is that they enable multiprocessor architecture. The multiprocessor architecture allows the machine that the licenses are installed on to use more than one processor. Otherwise, the machine is restricted to using only one core.

Using the unlimited user license key supplied in the feature pack, you no longer have to purchase the Visual Studio Load Test Virtual User Pack 2010 licenses. To install the unlimited user license key, follow the procedure in How to: Add Virtual User License Keys for Load Testing. The feature pack’s unlimited license lets you fully stress test your applications and discover performance, architectural, and design issues early and throughout the application lifecycle.

You can run load tests using virtual users by using a test controller and optionally test agents to distribute the load across multiple machines.

Typical remote configuration:

  • Machine1 and Machine2: Visual Studio (multiple testers can use the same controller).

  • Machine3: Controller (can have agents installed, too) with virtual user license installed.

  • Machine4-n: Agent or agents all associated with the controller on Machine2.

Remote machines using controller and agents

For more information, see Configuring Test Controllers and Test Agents for Load Testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

To view a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Visual Studio 2010 Load Test Feature Pack and Visual Studio Virtual User Pack 2010 licenses, see Visual Studio 2010 Load Test Feature Pack and Visual Studio Load Test Virtual User Pack 2010 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

See Also

Tasks

How to: Add Virtual User License Keys for Load Testing

How to: Add Virtual User License Keys for Load Testing Using the Command-Line

Walkthrough: Using a Test Controller and Test Agents in a Load Test

How to: Run a Load Test Using Test Controllers and Test Agents Specified in a Test Setting

Concepts

Testing Application Performance and Stress

Managing Your Virtual User Licenses for Load Testing with a Test Controller

Other Resources

Distributing Load Tests Across Multiple Test Machines Using Test Controllers and Test Agents