MaxoPerf platform glossary
This page explains the vocabulary MaxoPerf uses in its console, API, and documentation. Understanding these terms will help you navigate the product, configure tests correctly, and interpret the results.
A test in MaxoPerf is a saved configuration that describes what to run: the engine (Taurus, JMeter, k6), the uploaded script or YAML, the load profile, the target location(s), and any failure criteria. A test is the template; a run is a single execution of that template.
In MaxoPerf: tests are managed in the Tests list within a project. You can have many runs of the same test over time, which makes it easy to compare results across builds or dates.
A run is a single execution of a test at a point in time. It has a start time, an end time, a status (running, completed, failed, aborted), and a full set of result metrics captured during execution.
In MaxoPerf: each run gets a unique URL. Share the run URL with your team to discuss specific results. The run-detail page shows the load profile timeline, per-label latency and throughput charts, error breakdown, and any failure criteria evaluations.
Runner
Section titled “Runner”A runner is a compute instance (a container or VM) that actually executes the test engine and generates load against the target. MaxoPerf manages the runner lifecycle: provisioning before the run, monitoring during, and deprovisioning after.
In MaxoPerf: for managed-cloud tests, runners are allocated automatically from the selected location. For BYOC tests, runners run in your own infrastructure via the Outpost agent.
Location
Section titled “Location”A location is a geographic or network region where MaxoPerf runners execute your test. Testing from the location closest to your target (or from multiple locations simultaneously) makes results more representative of real user experience.
In MaxoPerf: the location selector appears in the test configuration. Managed locations are Maxoperf-operated; private locations use your own Outpost. A test can target multiple locations in one run for distributed load generation.
Outpost
Section titled “Outpost”An Outpost is a MaxoPerf agent that you deploy inside your own network (on-premises, private cloud, or VPC) to create a private location. Traffic from the Outpost never leaves your infrastructure before hitting the target, which is essential for testing services that are not publicly reachable.
In MaxoPerf: install the Outpost agent using the Helm chart or the provided Docker Compose bundle. Once registered, the Outpost appears as a selectable location in the test configuration. The Outpost polls MaxoPerf for run assignments and executes them locally.
See also: BYOC for cloud-hosted private runners.
BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud)
Section titled “BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud)”BYOC lets you run MaxoPerf test runners in your own cloud account — AWS, GCP, Azure, or similar — rather than on Maxoperf-managed infrastructure. Your data, traffic, and credentials stay in your account; MaxoPerf only orchestrates the run.
See the canonical card: BYOC — SEO Glossary.
In MaxoPerf: configure BYOC by connecting your cloud account in workspace settings. Once configured, BYOC locations appear alongside managed locations in the test configuration. BYOC is the recommended approach for regulated industries or when target systems are only accessible from within your cloud perimeter.
Workspace
Section titled “Workspace”A workspace is the top-level organizational unit in MaxoPerf. It maps to a company, team, or billing entity. All projects, tests, runs, and integrations belong to a workspace.
In MaxoPerf: users are invited to workspaces with role-based permissions. Billing is per workspace. API keys and integrations are scoped to a workspace.
Project
Section titled “Project”A project is a grouping of related tests within a workspace. Projects typically map to a service, application, or team. You can have many projects in one workspace.
In MaxoPerf: tests, runs, and result dashboards are organized within a project. Access control can be set per project within a workspace.
Failure criteria
Section titled “Failure criteria”Failure criteria are pass/fail rules evaluated at the end of (or during) a run. If any criterion is breached, the run is marked as failed. This makes performance testing automatable in CI — the build fails if the performance gate is not met.
Common failure criterion types:
- Latency percentile exceeds threshold (e.g.
p95 > 1000ms) - Error rate exceeds threshold (e.g.
error rate > 1%) - Throughput falls below minimum (e.g.
RPS < 100) - Apdex score below target (e.g.
Apdex < 0.8)
In MaxoPerf: add failure criteria in the test configuration. They appear in the run-detail page under the “Criteria” tab, showing each criterion with its measured value and pass/fail status.
Run artifacts
Section titled “Run artifacts”Run artifacts are the files MaxoPerf stores from a run: raw results, logs, JMeter reports, engine output, and any custom exports. They are available for download after the run completes.
See the canonical card: Run artifacts — SEO Glossary.
In MaxoPerf: artifacts are listed in the run-detail “Artifacts” tab. Use them for deep post-run analysis, sharing raw data with external tools, or archiving results.
Distributed load test
Section titled “Distributed load test”A distributed load test runs load generators from multiple runner instances or multiple locations simultaneously, aggregating the results into a single run view. This is how MaxoPerf scales tests beyond what a single runner can generate.
In MaxoPerf: select multiple runners or multiple locations in the test configuration. The run detail page shows both the aggregate view and per-location breakdowns.
Test script
Section titled “Test script”A test script is the file (or files) you upload to define the test behavior: a
Taurus YAML, JMeter .jmx, k6 JavaScript, or similar engine-specific format. The script
defines scenarios, request sequences, parametrization, and assertions.
In MaxoPerf: test scripts are uploaded and versioned per test. You can update the script and re-run to compare the new behavior against previous runs.
Where to go next
Section titled “Where to go next”- Engines and tooling glossary — Taurus, JMeter, k6 concepts.
- Cookbook: failure criteria pass/fail gates — how to set up CI-gated tests.
- BYOC — SEO Glossary — canonical BYOC card.
- Run artifacts — SEO Glossary — canonical artifacts card.