Managing the Migration Process

Application Testing

Prior to deployment, each application you migrate or port to IIS 5.0 should be tested on a server that’s running Windows 2000 Server with IIS 5.0. It’s best to begin this process well in advance of the final deadline for completion since Web applications can present unexpected problems.

In addition to testing for basic functionality, it’s also important to test an application for performance. A poorly coded Web page can increase server response time and decrease the number of users served. Table 2.10 includes a few examples of application tests. Usually, code review is conducted on a development computer, then stress and performance testing move to the test lab. For more information about testing and debugging applications, see Developing Web Applications in this book.

Table 2.10 Application Tests

Application Test	Description
Code review	Check hyperlink references, keywords, and programming style. Make sure that any UNIX conventions are changed to Windows conventions, as described in Migrating a Web Server to IIS 5.0 in this book. For ASP optimization tips, see ASP Best Practices. For tips on reviewing ASP code, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/server/.
Load, or stress testing	Test the number of concurrent users the application can support. Verify that CPU and memory usage is acceptable under high loads. You can use the Web Application Stress Tool, included on the Resource Kit companion CD, for stress testing multitier ASP applications.
Performance testing	Test application performance under a variety of conditions. Test overall performance impact of the application on the server.
Application logic	Run as http://localhost/ and check for proper operation of application logic.