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Thursday February 23rd 2012 8am
Test Virtualization: The Next Iteration
Software Test Professionals Conference
Mobile
When it comes to the software world, testing is like outer space; it’s vast and traps objects in black holes if course of direction is not set properly. As testing has come to the fore front, so has its strategic direction. The test tools and processes of choice has a definite economic impact when it comes to testing and identifying defects at various phases of the software development life cycle (SDLC). Probably one of the most significant impacts comes from the cost of identifying and fixing defects, especially during testing and implementation phases of a project. Depending on when the defect is identified, repairing errors in software applications can be extremely costly. As new software is released and upgrades occur, it is known that defects will surface and the cost of quality can be impacted significantly. One of the misunderstood factors is the actual cost of fixing a defect. This cost feeds back into the choice for testing and identifying defects as well as how these processes are managed. Without a controlled environment, it may be costly and catastrophic when rolling out the software into production.
In recent years, the upward trend of technological advances has heightened the testing community’s awareness. This surge in technology is forcing test teams to reposition themselves with a lean thinking attitude. To sustain software quality within complex and volatile environments, test teams can leverage virtualization to maximize their framework. Virtualization can be a vehicle for software testers, as a premeditated approach to testing intricate software applications. Virtualization will allow test professionals to be flexible and take full advantage of testing a wide range of applications on a variety of platforms. As more organizations turn towards cloud computing, virtualization can be a catalyst in changing an organization's culture and perception about quality.
Introducing virtualization is not only for the testers benefit, but can also build strong relationships within multiple areas of an organization both internally and externally. This can be a major asset to the organizational infrastructure and can lead to tangible benefits across the entire business. The primary purpose of virtualization is to simulate unavailable interfaces between integrated components and to satisfy the physical design specifications. From software development and test teams, to sales and marketing, all aspects of the organization can reap the benefits of implementing virtualization. The discipline areas that will harvest the majority of the return on investment are software development and test professionals. Often test teams are seen as an impedance to software developers. Through virtualization, silos are shattered as both teams are able to work in tandem, instead of against each other, as code is tossed over the "wall of defects". Through virtualization, test professionals are able to capture defects in a controlled and protected environment, while developers can debug and isolate defects without disrupting the test or production environments. This creates a relationship where both groups are able to work collectively and determine the validity of defects before they enter into production applications. This change in culture will not only have a positive effect for technical resources but can also be influenced by professional services teams.
Client facing teams can support both potential and existing clients through virtualization. The utilization of test tools outside of the SDLC, allows sales and marketing to have the ability to demo software products. This allows the illustration of new enhancements and prototypes and the flexibility of dynamic interaction between the business and clients. Professional services teams can paint an interactive picture and allow clients to explore new applications or features. Hands – on interaction provides clients a method to explore new applications in a manner that cannot be achieved from a sales order. Not only can professional services teams attract potential clients through the use of virtualization but existing clients can also take advantage of the cloud computing technology. Existing customers can alleviate their anxiety about testing in production, by allowing virtualization to be a safe haven for testing new releases and managing deficiencies. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for major software application rollouts can be a major effort and at times painful, especially when defects are introduced into production. Utilizing virtualization can ease the process and allow a seamless bridge from software organization to their clients for releasing new application features and enhancements.
Virtualization can be a major cost savings and a critical component to the SDLC framework. Businesses are able to leverage cloud computing and mobile technology for a wide range of applications and platforms. From software test professionals performing integration testing, to sales and marketing presenting demos, virtualization allows flexibility throughout the entire organization. Virtual tools can guarantee the functionality, performance, and quality of mission critical software applications in a safe and controlled environment. This innovative technology can be used to steer the strategic direction and serve as a representation of any organization’s quality, in preparation of the next iteration.
Author:
Jamey Jones Chief Executive Officer, DyLabs, Inc. - With a decade of serving as a critical source to the software development life cycle for various businesses, Jamey provides both strategic and tactical leadership in virtualization. With a deep understanding of virtualization, Jamey has introduced virtualization to organizations, having a significant positive impact on software products and the perception of quality.
Come see Jamey at the Software Test Professionals Conference in New Orleans from March 26-29. Jamey will lead session 505: Test Virtualization: Revolutionizing Quality in Organizations , part of the Mobile Testing track.