importance of load testing

What is the use of Load testing (performance testing)? Why it is important?Load testing is important to find out the application / products performance in terms of its speed, response time and how it handles when large number of users uses the application at the same time. Performance or Load testing is important because it plays a vital role in deciding the usability / reliability of the application in present and future times. Load testing forecasts whether the application can handle the future growth of the users to the application. It gives a clear picture whether the current application’s set up / configuration / environment will support if after 2 years the number of users who uses the application will double.So, for every organization / enterprise which cares for its reputation or brand value, must undergo performance / Load testing of their application.There is little some difference between Load testing and Performance testing.Load testing aims to find out if, more and more number of users trying to use the application at the same time. To find out at what loads the system will crash?Performance testing cares about so many other areas like system metrics, response times of transactions, through put of the servers etc.. It aims at finding out the over all performance of the application in terms of user friendly, customer(end user) satisfaction while browsing the application(if it is web application) irrespective of the peak loads or not.