We’ve broken some new ground this week. We’ve used Amazon’s EC2 computing cloud to perform intense web load testing on an upcoming client site.

Here’s how we did it:

1. We used Amazon EC2 to host a Windows 2003 server in the cloud. I customized the instance with tools we needed and created our own personal AMI (Reuseable System Image).

2. We used the Microsoft Web Stress Tool to record and run our stress tests. This is a free tool that we have used many times in the past. It is simple,  mature (published in 2002) and reliable.  The tools allows you to record a user session on a website and play it back as many times as you like. We we’re able to execute 100,000 requests from a single machine in an hour. The application simply captures all the HTTP GET and POST requests happening on the TCP socket. It’s a very simple yet effective approach.

3. We uploaded the scripts to several EC2 Windows servers and let them run. The web stress tool uses a lot of resources depending on the number of threads and sockets you configure the script for. The more simultaneous requests you want to make the more resources you will need on your host machine. We had good luck with a basic, medium size 32 bit windows instance.

This is one of the best uses of cloud computing I’ve come across so far. People often load test using machines on the same core network as their web servers. This approach usually bypasses the firewalls, switches and routers that your internet traffic would normally encounter.  Obviously this is not a true test of your infrastructure. Using servers on the cloud outside of your network lets you simulate true load on your infrastructure. For our tests we used servers in different regions of the US and Europe.

My total amazon costs were about $10 USD. Unless you have access to stacks of idle windows machines this is the most cost effective way of spinning up Windows servers for short term use.

I often wonder what was the tipping point for social media? Why is it receiving more attention now than ever? It has always been there and those in the know — whether they are the tech savvy or the digital youth — saw its benefits much sooner than the rest of us. But now it’s really gone mainstream:

• Every radio station, newscaster, broadcast media has a Twitter account. My late night TV news station uses it as a crowd-sourcing mechanism to gauge immediate opinion on key news issues;
• Charities/causes are popping up and its organizers are wising up to the fact that they can raise awareness and donations within hours of launching their campaign;
• The newspaper industry is dying as consumers increasingly look online to find their news and information for free. As a result, a large scale shift in ad spend is expected in 2009 away from traditional print and broadcast to online. eMarketer verifies this transformation:

• Marketers have been told that this channel not only offers true measurability but it results in strong customer engagement and sustainability;

For someone like me, whose marketing roots have evolved from traditional mass to direct and database; then to online display, search and now social media –> my profound learning comes in understanding that it is a medium that continues to evolve and has yet to establish standards for marketers. I continue to hear that no one should have the right to call themselves “social media experts” and while I believe that is absolutely true, I will place my bets with those marketers and organizations who are using this medium everyday to establish their brand, and create a true understanding of their customers. These guys practice what they preach. Other industry notables have gotten their names because they’ve seemingly held the answers to a space that was virtually untravelled by the mainstream. But I have yet to see any validation of their preachings.

Could it be that the new US President Barack Obama will be known as a key instigator in bringing this whole notion to the masses by his very acknowledgement of the pervasiveness and influence of technology and its ability to shape consumer perception and build incredible momentum? The strength of Obama’s campaign and his revolutionary move into office are based on the ideals set by the Founding Fathers: Election for The People and By the People…. and NOT by the lobbyists or constituents who have traditionally influenced policy and government spend. He has seemingly abolished this practice and has brought on a new idealism of transparency (as per the video: White House 2.0: Social Media and Government Transparency)

As I evolve Ammo Marketing in Canada, the social media space is exciting and yet daunting. I have been able to convince some clients that traditional research does not compare to the unfiltered, unmoderated insights they will get from social media. The very research has opened clients’ eyes who become keenly aware of the honest commentary on their brands: the good..the bad…and the ugly. This immediately creates a sense of urgency to jump into the conversation and clarify misperceptions and diffuse detractor comments. Little by little, participation in this new media is slowly revealing its true worth: as a true engagement device that leads to a sustained dialogue and eventual impact on revenue.

One of my staff came to me today and was so excited to be in a ground-breaking and evolutionary space. As someone who supports client initiatives by participating in relevant discussions, she is delightfully surprised by the willingness of people to embrace corporate presence and engage with them peer to peer with no strings attached. It’s amazing how much people are willing to tell you if you give them the platform to speak. The results we’ve seen have been immediate. But be warned, it will take some time to fulfill that ROI. Effort must be consistent and committed. Consumers will become your advocates if you continue to maintain that connection and you openly respond to their concerns.

Christopher Barger, Director of Social Media, General Motors (http://twitter.com/cbarger) said it best: Look for the return on conversation…not immediately…but when it comes it will sustain itself long-term.