# [[Test parameters]] In [[Load Testing]], a test parameters are a special set of [[Parameterization|parameter]] or [[Execution Parameters|execution parameter]] that have to do with the shape, intensity, and duration of load. Test parameters are sometimes set internally within the load testing script or externally at runtime. Setting test parameters [[Making load testing scripts more realistic|makes load testing scripts more realistic]] by more closely matching the script to the [[Workload Modeling|workload model]]. ##### Ramp up In production, load on servers very rarely goes from 0 to 1000 in one second. Even for cases with a very definitive start time (such as an item going on sale at a particular time), the load generally increases gradually. This gradual increase can be simulated by adding ramp up times in your script. A ramp up is the amount of time during which new users are added at staggered intervals. Here’s an example of what that might look like:  ##### [[Load test duration]] Duration is how long the whole test actually lasts.