Empirix Inc. on Monday is adding collaborative load testing for Web applications and Web services to its e-Test suite.

Featured in e-Test suite 8.0 is a new version of the company?s e-Load enterprise load tester that lets multiple users in different locations collaborate in real time to optimize application performance, according to Empirix. Integration of distributed development and testing teams can shorten test cycles and allow for delivery of better applications in less time, the company said.

With version 8.0, e-Load is installed once and accessed from any Web browser. Multiple, distributed users can collaborate by joining the same test session and review results in progress as well as historically. Users can run concurrent load test sessions.

?This is basically a brand new version completely rewritten from the ground up as a Web-based app,? said Joe Fernandes, director of product marketing for Web Test Solutions at Empirix.

A user of the product said it has enabled simultaneous viewing of test results at three different sites. ?It?s really improved productivity because there was no waiting for log files, e-mails,? said Elizabeth Ricci, vice president of engineering at Authoria Inc., which develops human resource applications. ?Testers can actually see the results at the same time.?

Also new in e-Test suite 8.0:

-- Diagnostics for developing server profiles to monitor application performance under load and help identify bottlenecks.

-- Enhancements to the e-Manager Enterprise collaborative test process manager for documenting and sharing of test plans, test cases, requirements, and defects via a Web-based repository.

-- Improved scripting capabilities for testing .Net and J2EE applications and SOAP-based Web services.

-- A Java-based load agent to boost throughput and scalability and enable testing of applications earlier in the lifecycle.

Scripts from previous versions of e-Test suite are compatible with version 8.0, Empirix said. The new product ships in February. Pricing starts at US$30,000 for a configuration that tests an application being used by 100 ?virtual? users.