As announced at Visual Studio 2013 launch, today we are launching the Commercial Preview for cloud-based load testing using Visual Studio Online (previously called Team Foundation Service). To get started, download Visual Studio Ultimate 2013 RTM. If you already have load tests that you run locally, you can run the same tests now using the service. If you haven’t used load testing before, the getting started guide helps you quickly create  one. Here are some links to get started and details on free usage limits and applicable charges during Commercial Preview.

Getting Started links

• Download Visual Studio Ultimate 2013 RTM
• Getting started guide and getting started video for load testing using Visual Studio Online.
• Troubleshooting guide for FAQs and known issues.
• If you are facing any issues in getting started like VS freezing, kindly go through the post.
• Visual Studio Online Support for more queries
• Detailed demo and presentation (link to Tech-Ed session recording)

        How other customers have used the load testing with Visual Studio Online:

• Case study on Cloud based load testing
• Load testing done for NORAD Tracks Santa
• Load Testing Visual Studio Online and Team Foundation Server

Free usage limits and applicable charges

All users of Visual Studio Online will get 15,000 virtual user minutes free per Visual Studio Online account per month during the Commercial Preview period. Ex: If your load test consists of 250 concurrent virtual users, you will be able to run this test for a total of 60 minutes per month.

To use more resources while executing your load test in cloud with Visual Studio Online i.e. more than 15,000 virtual user minutes per month, you will have to enable the billing for your Visual Studio Online account. The rates for each virtual user minute is $ 0.002. But for the Commercial Preview, you will be charged only half the rate i.e. $0.001 for each virtual user minute.

Our Early Adoption Program is complete and we thank all our early adopters for using the service and providing us great feedback during the Preview period of the service. The good news is that the Visual Studio Online accounts who joined before Nov 13, 2013 will continue getting the free limits for 90 more days starting today.

Go ahead and download Visual Studio Ultimate 2013 RTM. Run load tests using the service. In case of any issues you can consult Troubleshooting guide or contact us here with your queries.