# Recommended testing procedure
<a name="performance-recommended-procedure"></a>

We strongly recommend that you perform this performance testing before you deploy a new appliance into production.

1. Design the lab tests as follows:
   + Set up all of the workflows that you expect to run on the appliance.
   + Obtain input that is a good example of the most complex source that you expect to handle. A complex source is one that has video that includes the following:
     + A lot of movement and change of scene.
     + Possibly a ticker tape or other strip of text.
     + Broad areas of the same color, like a grassy area, because high video quality of these areas is difficult to obtain. 
   + Set up the events with the most complex outputs that you expect to run on the appliance. Include any high-demand features that you plan to implement. See [Features that affect performance](performance-features.md).
   + Run the events for several days.

1. Monitor the events as described in this section:
   + Frequently measure the CPU usage, RAM usage, I/O bandwidth, and system bandwidth. See [Assessing performance by measuring](performance-measures.md).
   + Continually monitor the logs that Elemental Live produces. See [Assessing performance with logging messages](performance-via-logs.md).

1. Revise the workflows in terms of density and video quality, and continue testing. You should revise the workflows incrementally.