scope:

The present document describes the way used by a task force within the STQ Mobile working group to create and validate the Copernicus and subsequently the Kepler and Kepler Smartphone reference web pages to be used for QoS testing of http services. This included acquisition of basic information on parameters of typical "real-world" web pages.

Whereas parts of the present document may appear to the reader as being a general guide, the present document should be understood primarily as a report on what was done.

It should be clearly mentioned that the issue at hand is not "exact science". We want to design a reference page having properties of a "typical" web page. However, such typical web pages follow trends, given by available design tools, design paradigms, and fashions. The limits in which web designers operate are also given by transport channel capabilities such as higher bandwidth or device capabilities to render multimedia content.

Given these facts, we should be aware that any concrete reference web page will need adjustment and reconsideration from time to time. QoS testing is about ranking. Given two systems under test having similar performance, choice of any particular reference web site may well determine ranking order, and open up room for discussions by people who do not like the results. Since this works in all directions, the conclusion suggested by the authors of the present document is to keep the qualitative nature of the subject well in mind and to refrain from taking the "winner/loser" aspect of benchmarking too serious.