Astra SiteTest is a Web site utility which allows you to test the bandwidth and performance of any section by using virtual users. By loading up several virtual users designed to follow a specific script of what each user does it records how well the web server responded to its queries and which parts of the website were slower than others. SiteTest graphs all the information in its Analysis tool and graphs can be seen on a number of specifications.
Program Details
SiteTest can be a useful tool, but it's very much a memory hog and recommends 32 Megs of ram (Requires 16). The "Vusers" and their scripts are very easy to create by using IE 3.0+ or Netscape 2.0+ by simply clicking a little record button and following in your browser which parts of the website you want the program to access. It can handle forms, CGI scripts, passwords etc., and is very flexible in that aspect. By loading a number of Vusers each follows a script and tries to access the data as fast as it can all at once. This puts quite a load on your web server as each user is trying to access the same data at once, which slows down the server. By using the "rendezvous" feature you can get your Vusers to meet at a specific spot at once to do just this. When complete, the graphs in the "analysis" tool let you see which paths took the longest and how your server responded under the conditions you gave it. Separate scripts may be used for each Vuser or all of them may be loaded using a single script. The wizard at the beginning helps you get started and prompts you to create your script(s), automatically loading your default browser.
Summary
This program can be a vital tool for the curious webmaster who is interested in learning how his ISP is handling his web page; although it really isn't necessary unless his site is running slow. The documentation states that it now works in unison with Astra SiteManager, which is available separately. This tool allows you to seriously give a load on your site with just a single desktop computer running Win95 or NT, but at $9,500 you'll have to decide whether it's worth it. The SSL expansion pack for secure servers is an extra $995.
