To set up an efficient test environment is a challenging and tricky task because of various reasons. Various layers of the system, complex configuration and Test Data Management from huge sources call for the demand of having an efficient system for test environment. An absence of effective test environment may lead to chaos during software testing phase. An absence of ideal test environment affects the performance, efficiency and viability of the test results. This article entails 5 things you must avoid in Test Environment.
Before getting to the practices which affect a test environment, it is imperative to establish that test environment for every software varies from others, and it must be customized according to the requirements of the particular code under analysis. A robust test environment management and Test Data Management is crucial because designing, configuring, and setting up a test environment is a tricky task.
Components of test environment
A test environment’s first and basic component is the software that needs to be tested. Furthermore, it includes an operating system to run the test, hardware devices, simulators, a testing server and database, test framework tools and test data automation tools, network connectivity, configured test data, third party software, necessary documents like user manuals and licenses, etc. A test environment makes sure that all involved components coordinate properly while ensuring end-to-end visibility into a testing cycle for giving desired test output.
Bad Practices in a test environment
1. Ambiguous Requirements for test environment
While designing a test environment, it is imperative to have a clear idea about the requirements of test environment lest there be a serious gap between the required project and the delivered project. Test environment should clearly elaborate its requirements for configurations, hardware, software, and performing a specific test to assess the success or failure of a system. Ambiguous requirements may require a test environment to be redesigned increasing the testing budgets, and causing delays in delivery.
2. Testing Environment varies from Production Environment
Different levels of testing require different types of test environment. These are development environment, testing/QA environment, staging environment, and production environment.
While developers rely on development environment for unit testing of their codes, QA environment ensures that one change here or there does not cripple the system. The staging environment, however, is a replica of the production environment, which helps assess the overall functioning of software after deployment.
Before testing, make sure that the software is being tested in a production environment to ensure performance and efficiency.
3. Absence of Central Knowledge Repository
Centralization of test environment management means ownership and team alignment of Test Data Management. Not maintaining centralized knowledge repository results in knowledge gaps about the manual changes done to any test environment setup. During test runs, such gaps cost you in terms of time and money because the dynamically allocated resources may change with time. Test Data Management and maintenance of knowledge on the basis of previous test environment resources is important because a lack of such assets will make the testing suffer because of insufficient information. A centralized knowledge repository and Test Data Automation triggers requirement changes across the system so that the entire test environment team remains updated with changes. This helps in reducing release risks, and brings end-to-end visibility into real-time actions regarding a test environment.
4. Using Production Data for Testing
While data testing, never use production data because it a huge risk for data protection, and even for your business. Although, the testing environment must be close to deployment environment, however, using production data is a no-go area. As the software being tested is not free from bugs and vulnerabilities, production data may get attacked by unknown vulnerabilities, and falls in the hands of nasty elements. Automated Test Data when masked and encrypted remains unfruitful for hackers because it is of no use to them.
5. Manual Test Environment Deployment
Building test environments from manually from scratch costs you time and money. Whereas, an automated test environment and Automated Test Data provides a sustainable way of testing when required. It is more cost effective and efficient because all phases of testing are automated. Automated test environment ensures consistency and accuracy because of reduced manual errors, discrepancies, and delays.
Conclusion
Developing an efficient Test Data Management and Environment improves a software development, and also adds to its quality by making it defect-free application. GenRocket ensures that quality of deployed software is impeccable through its agile, reliable, efficient, stable, and thorough test environment. With Genrocket’s expertise, you can improve an application’s performance as it uses accurate test data, replicates test environment same as production environment and also helps in test data management.