Distributed Test Environment
For automated testing of distributed applications in the network
The age of monolithic computing has passed. "The application is the network" is true for more and more IT architectures. Thus with client-server based systems, the Internet has opened up new horizons, but it has also increased the complexity of the systems.
This subjects Quality Assurance to challenging tasks. The interaction of the different application components becomes a central issue. How can heterogeneous and distributed architectures be tested? How is the test flow checked? How can it be automated and thus be made more cost-effective?
The tool
SQS-TEST®/Professional Distributed Test Environment, DTE for short, creates an infrastructure for distributed applications that works across networks and platforms. Testers can control and coordinate the steps in the test procedure beyond the confines of a single computer. From a central computer you have everything under control.
Operating DTE is intuitive. The tester can designate his flow scripts or parts of them as "tasks" for the test. The tasks thus described are executed under the prescribed conditions in an automated fashion. The attributes determine under which conditions and when the task is executed:
Some of the attributes that can be defined as:
- Target computer
- User ID
- Start time
- Criticality
- Files which are to transferred to or retrieved from the target computer
- Flow control depending on the results of other tasks
Central control - distributed testing
A full test run with DTE, normally consisting of several tasks, is analysed by the DTE Task Manager and then "distributed" among the target computers. As a result it is assured that the tasks are executed in a coordi-nated fashion. The DTE Task Manager directly addresses the relevant DTE driver on the target computer and is independent of system-specific commands.
The entire controlling and checking of test flows is done centrally using the DTE SPY which shows the current status of the test flows on all computers involved. If necessary the execution can be aborted.
The complete solution
DTE is a component of SQS-TEST®/Professional. This product creates a comprehensive infrastructure by means of which all phases of quality assurance can be supported, from planning to specification to automated execution.
Test Process Automation provides a standardised procedure for an ordered, documented, and repeatable test flow.
DTE enables the test executions in a heterogeneous system to be controlled simply and centrally. The test is transparent and trackable. The reaction times are thus shortened. This is the pre-requisite of cost-effective quality assurance.
Summary
SQS-TEST®/Professional Distributed Test Environment
- Controls and checks the test of distributed IT systems, centrally
- Supports flows on a wide range of different target systems and platforms
- Controls the test execution based on interim results
- Enables the execution of sub-steps under different user IDs
- Takes into account the security requirements of the underlying network
- Is purely TCP/IP-based so that networks do not have to be extended
- Takes over file transfer to and from the target computers
- Is based on a simple, platform-independent control language
- Is independent of the tools to be controlled: any applications and processes for the test can be started and ended on the target computers.
For more information on SQS-TEST®/Professional Distributed Test Environment, send an e-mail to: