Quality Research by Using Performance Evaluation Metrics for Software Systems and Components

Software performance and evaluation have four basic needs: (1) well-defined performance testing strategy, requirements, and focuses, (2) correct and effective performance evaluation models, (3) well-defined performance metrics, and (4) cost-effective performance testing and evaluation tools and techniques. This chapter first introduced a performance test process and discusses the performance testing objectives and focus areas. Then, it summarized the basic challenges and issues on performance testing and evaluation of component based programs and components. Next, this chapter presented different types of performance metrics for software components and systems, including processing speed, utilization, throughput, reliability, availability, and scalability metrics. Most of the performance metrics covered here can be considered as the application of existing metrics to software components. New performance metrics are needed to support the performance evaluation of component based programs.