Automated Testing

Gireendra Kasmalkar

Prabodhan Exports Pvt. Ltd.

Need for Automated Testing

Automation ensures implementation of process Repetitive testing Simulated testing Voluminous data testing Internal testing

Types of Automated Testing

Component Regression Load Web-site checking Memory Leak Coverage

Automated testing for products / projects

For products– Regression

For projects– Data preparation

For web-sites– Navigation

For all– Load / Performance– Memory Leak– Coverage– Component

List of tools

Mercury Interactive (Winrunner, LoadRunner, Astra Site Manager)

Segue (SilkTest, SilkPerformer) Rational (Test Studio incl. Robot and Pure) Empirix (E-Suite) Microsoft (Web Application Stress Tool) Cyrano (OpenSTA) Building your own tools

– For components and systems

– Need for planned and centralized approach

– Can be very efficient and effective

GUI-based Automated Regression Testing

Misconceptions– Easy to build – simple record and playback– Very little effort– Replaces manual testing– Testing can be completely automated

Objectives– Regression testing – to verify that things still work– Routine testing – to allow expert resources time for more

critical testing– Repeated testing – reuse over a number of builds and

releases

Requirements from Automated Regression

Robust Data-driven Maintainable

Process for Automation Development

Tool Evaluation Analysis (Feasibility) Design Development Testing Deployment

Elements of Automated Regression

Test script Test data Test report Design and architect for robustness etc.

Elements of a Test Script

Action Verification Report All good programming practices

Prerequisites for automation

Stability of application Test cases must be ready Knowledge of tool

Limitations in Automated GUI Testing

Testing Compatibility Testing Robustness Testing Usability

Load / Performance Testing

Misconceptions– A tool is all that is required– Problems are directly identified– Extrapolation of results is possible– Has to be done on production setup

Objectives– Benchmarking– Identifying limits– Stability– Bottle-neck finding

Process for Load / Performance Testing

Tool Evaluation Requirement Analysis Planning and setup Development of scenarios Execution Analysis & Report

Elements of a Load Testing Scenario

Transaction Workload Server side configuration Network bandwidth simulation Output parameters

Prerequisites for Load / Performance testing

Functional stability of application Knowledge of tool Collaboration with developers

– Criticality of scenarios– Tuning parameters e.g.connection pool– Understanding logs

Setup

Isolated network Client machines Specified server configuration

Execution

Execute scenario with ramp-up Monitor

– Server– Network– Client

Data collection Analysis Rerun

Conclusion

Very important and effective components of the total testing effort

Objectives must be clear and realistic Requires tools, specialized skills and processes Requires dedicated and planned effort