A Step towards a Suite of E-commerce Benchmarks

Abstract

A benchmark is used to measure and compare the performance of like systems. It is also used to estimate the scalability of a system in terms of the number of users and/or transactions that a system can support and system response times under different loads and hardware/software deployment platforms. Because of the multidimensional aspects of e-commerce and the various emerging and distinct e-commerce business models, one single benchmark is not suitable for the purposes of examining scalability and determining throughput and response time of e-commerce applications. This paper advocates development of suites of benchmarks based on distinguished business models that represent existing and emerging e-commerce applications in terms of their distinct features. In particular, the paper develops a benchmark for one such business model, a model that is based on a cybermediary or electronic broker, e-broker. Two implementations of the benchmark specification are described: one based on Microsoft’s COM technology while the other one is based on CORBA technology. Sample benchmark results are presented and discussed. The paper also proposes a framework for development of a suite of e-commerce benchmarks.