How to do load test web services using java?

Question

I am trying to develop a utility for load testing a web service that's based on Soap xml and Messaging queues. The need is to have the functionality of invoking the utility at a particular time interval for testing the service(kind of like heartbeat checking). Till now I have used Loadrunner, Silkperformer and SoapUI for manual testing. But how do I make something like this from scratch so that I can also have my custom Java code in the utility invoked automatically. I want to export the results to an excel file after each heartbeat.

I thought of the possible solution :-

Write unit tests in java and use libraries like AXIS 2, use the timer class.

But the problem is that how do I generate load from the java utility to the service (Like 100 users). Also, should I use APIs of loadrunner(lr) or soapUI rather than AXIS 2 for web based calls(request and response for the soap xml)?

Please ask for more details if the need arises because I couldn't find a nice implentation or answer to this, it'll help a lot of people.

Answer 1

Java Template Virtual User in LoadRunner

Answer 2

1. To invoke it periodically:

   • Quartz Sheduler
   • Put your Java project under CI solution i.e. Jenkins
   • Use built-int OS mechanisms like Windows Task Scheduler or Crontab

2. To add the load:

   • ThreadPoolExecutor
   • JMH
   • Use a "real" load testing tool from Java code, i.e. Apache JMeter

3. To write results into excel: Apache POI