Load Testing of the Online Ticketing Portal
We identified bottlenecks and optimised the online ticketing system following the surge in demand for the Serov exhibition. After optimisation, the system handles up to 50,000 active concurrent users.
State Tretyakov Gallery
How do you prepare a system for surge-level demand?
Everyone remembers the "Serov queue" — a phrase that became a cultural meme in the winter of 2016. Extraordinary demand for the exhibition led to enormous lines, with online tickets being released only once every two weeks.
The gallery needed to be ready for upcoming exhibitions: the online sales system had to handle 30,000 active concurrent users. Existing infrastructure was not dimensioned for that load and could not be quickly scaled. An optimisation solution was needed.
Iterative Testing → Bottleneck Identification → Optimisation
Load Test Script Development
We developed load test scripts that simulate real user behaviour: browsing exhibitions, selecting tickets, and completing payment.
Bottleneck Identification
Initial testing iterations revealed site and payment system issues that caused failures under load.
Iterative Optimisation
Each successive testing iteration progressively raised the sustainable load threshold. We worked in close collaboration with the site development team.
Results Validation
We confirmed stable system operation at the target load level. The system was ready for the launch of high-profile new exhibitions.
Optimisation without adding infrastructure
Load Testing
Multiple load testing iterations with a progressively increasing load. Each iteration uncovered new bottlenecks and enabled their resolution.
Site & Payment System Diagnostics
We identified and localised performance problems both on the site side and in the payment system integration.
Performance Optimisation
We achieved stable system operation within the existing infrastructure — with no need for costly scaling.
System ready for peak demand
The online sales system was optimised and successfully handled high-profile exhibitions including "Roma Aeterna. Masterpieces from the Vatican Pinacoteca", "The Thaw", and others.
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We conduct load testing and performance optimisation for high-load systems. We'll help you prepare for peak traffic events.
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