I am particularly interested in making database read/write requests through the web app.<p>My app is in Python(Pylons), the datastore is an ODBMS based on ZopeDB, server and client(me) are running Linux.
The grinder <a href="http://grinder.sourceforge.net/" rel="nofollow">http://grinder.sourceforge.net/</a> (write your scripts in jython) for unit and nightly runs and for large scale testing on partners hardware HP (formerly mercury) Load Runner <a href="https://h10078.www1.hp.com/cda/hpms/display/main/hpms_content.jsp?zn=bto&cp=1-11-126-17%5E8_4000_100__" rel="nofollow">https://h10078.www1.hp.com/cda/hpms/display/main/hpms_conten...</a>
ab is a quick and dirty way: <a href="http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/programs/ab.html" rel="nofollow">http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/programs/ab.html</a><p>You can send it particular URLs that do your desired DB read/write requests.<p>For more in depth testing, I've heard HttpUnit is good (<a href="http://httpunit.sourceforge.net/" rel="nofollow">http://httpunit.sourceforge.net/</a>), though I don't have much experience with it.
I'm working on a hosted load testing solution for this type of problem. Specifically, it will let you run full transactions against a web front-end. You record a script with your web browser and then upload it, and run a mass of virtual users executing those steps.<p>If you want an update when it's ready, shoot me an email. On gmail, I'm ebeland.