This paper presents a review of the techniques and models that can be used for the noise performance calculation of active devices under linear and nonlinear operations. In a first part, the modeling techniques and the noise models of FETs, HEMTs, BJTs and HBTs are described. In the second part, a generalization of the impedance field method for the noise modeling in devices under nonlinear periodic operation is proposed. This method can be used for the modeling of microwave and millimeter wave mixers and oscillators.