Performance Optimization

As performance requirements change with the business growth and peak seasons, we test and tune our client's sites year round to ensure they operate at peak capacity. Using a carefully defined system of performance optimization we were able to reduce page loads for our client Parts Town from 30 seconds to a lightning fast 2 seconds. First, we tuned their database to reduce query length. At the application server level, the code components were made smaller as well, and the server’s memory caching was improved. We also tuned their html by optimizing CSS scripts. When you decide to launch a hot new product at the holiday season, you may invite an avalanche of traffic and orders to your site, and in this situation it's important to be prepared for the dramatic impact it will inevitably have on your system.

With SysIQ’s virtualization technology we can easily deliver processing, memory and storage on demand. This technology makes capacity available as you need it and when you need it. Our regular testing and tuning ensure that your business infrastructure is aligned with your business goals. Our capacity on demand options allow you to scale up as your customer traffic spikes and grows. These are the regular tests and tuning procedures that will keep your ecommerce venture agile and limber:

• Holiday Readiness (Capacity and Resource planning/Sizing)
• Stress/Load Tests
• Database Tuning
• Cache Tuning

Our stress and load testing procedures are developed to ensure the systems performance, data availability, and transaction speed are not affected by heavy loads or hardware limitations. Stress testing creates a picture of how the system works under circumstances of scarce computing resources, such as low memory or CPU power, while also testing how a site responds in a worst-case scenario situation, whether it has to withstand DoS attacks, scripts or other denial of service efforts a troublesome hacker might employ. Load testing creates a load of transactions and database queries which simulate users clicking and the system reacting, in order to see how the site behaves as the number of users constantly increases. While there are lots of user behavior simulation techniques, at SysIQ we also use actual data, and in doing so we are not emulating but recreating a user. For example, to load test the database, we use a tool which resides on a production server and gathers live data by copying all queries in a separate log, and this log then runs on the testing server to provide us with a load that duplicates a real persons’ behavior, so we’re able to properly tune and optimize.

We optimize SQL logic and queries in the database, and create indexing system for fast and precise information search, including search through user-friendly search and navigation tools like EasyAsk. Then we review the interaction between the application’s database and back-office and inventory databases, and make them connect and exchange information at the right moments with the right periodicity. After the modifications we generate and analyze the reports which give us the detailed picture of how much the database’s and the overall site performance has improved and what needs to be polished, and continue until it is completely lag free.

Cache memory performance can affect the overall speed of operations dramatically. There are two types of cache we tune - the one between the application server and the database, and the browser cache at the user’s desktop. The ‘user cache’ is responsible for fast page loading, and the ‘server cache’, where the database objects are stored, is handling orders and other transactions. The cache volume, the data to cache, and the caching life span are the parameters which we tune to make your site perform better and convert more.