Preproduction performance modes

Preproduction environments support performance and efficiency modes. To improve test performance, switch to performance mode. The system returns the environment to efficiency mode during idle periods.

Modes overview

Preproduction environments support two modes.
  • Efficiency mode
  • Performance mode
Efficiency mode is the default mode. This mode behaves like a QA or development environment and is suitable for general use. Performance testing is not supported in efficiency mode. Agent and integration serer JVM dashboards are not populated in efficiency mode.
Note: In efficiency mode, runtime monitoring for agent and integration server JVM dashboards is not available. Switch to performance mode to view JVM metrics during testing. For more information about dashboards, see Dashboards and charts.
Performance mode provides full throughput for performance testing. This mode supports higher capacity. Use performance mode only for performance testing. When the system is set to performance mode, it is designed to operate for testing needs. After an extended period of no performance testing, such as more than 10–11 hours, the system automatically reverts to efficiency mode. To avoid any disruption, enable performance mode shortly before you start your tests.
Note: If you are adding new servers, add the new servers when you are in performance mode. Performance mode provides a way for you to select specific agent profiles for servers. Efficiency mode assigns all existing and new servers automatically to a balanced profile.

Automatic mode management

The system continuously evaluates environment usage to detect inactivity. When the environment remains idle for an extended period, the system automatically reverts to efficiency mode.

Determining the current mode

You can determine the current mode in the following ways.
  • On the Environments page in Self Service, the preproduction environment displays a mode indicator.
  • On the preproduction Environment details page, a banner shows the current mode.

Switching to performance mode

You can switch to performance mode at any time in your preproduction environment.
  1. From the Self Service navigation menu, select Self Service > Environments.
  2. Select the preproduction environment.
  3. On the Environment details tab, review the banner that displays the current mode.
  4. In the banner, click Performance mode.
  5. In the confirmation modal, click Confirm.

When you switch to performance mode, the environment is temporarily unavailable for up to 20 minutes.

The system automatically returns the environment to efficiency mode after a period of inactivity.

Note: If the switch to performance mode fails, the system locks the environment and queues all new processes. Open a support ticket so that reliability engineers can investigate, fix the issue, and unlock the environment.

Agent profile behavior when switching modes

When you switch back from efficiency mode to performance mode, the system retains agents that were created in performance mode using server types such as balanced, compute, and memory.

For example, you have 10 balanced, 10 compute, and 10 memory agents. The environment is switched to efficiency mode (the system continues to run, but on a different infrastructure type). When you switch back to performance mode, the system restores the original configuration (10 balanced, 10 compute, and 10 memory agents). Any agents that are added while the environment is in efficiency mode are treated as balanced agents.

Best practices

  • Use efficiency mode for daily development and validation tasks.
  • Always check the environment mode before you run a partial or full performance test.
  • Switch to performance mode shortly before you run performance tests.
  • Avoid keeping preproduction environments in performance mode when not in use.
  • Monitor logs to identify repeated performance issues.
  • To maintain the desired server distribution, add or modify new agents when you are in performance mode.