Integration and Interoperability Testing

3 Days

"Well worth my time, especially due to the detail in the student guide. The instructor's demeanor, combined with his knowledge" - Shannon Klabnik

"Everyone on an engineering job should take this training." - Meredith Borrero

This course is designed to present strategies and techniques for testing within a framework of diverse technologies and applications. It is assumed that you have a working knowledge of testing and test terminology.

You will learn how to plan, conduct and evaluate tests in diverse technology environments, especially when the applications in those environments interact together. 

The testing of Commercial Off-the-shelf Software (COTS) will be discussed, along with the role of regression testing, configuration management, automated test tools and ongoing validation in diverse technical environments. 

You will leave this course with a solid foundation for testing in situations which are very diverse and dynamic. This course is centered around a common case study which builds throughout the course.

Integration and Interoperability Testing will help you become more comfortable and confident in testing software applications that are complex and interrelated. You will emerge from this three-day session knowing how to plan and conduct tests in diverse environments. You will also leave with knowledge of how tools can help you perform integration and interoperability testing.

Objectives

• The basic issues and risk of integration and interoperability testing
• The deeper issues of performing a risk assessment
• Processes for integration and interoperability testing and configuration management in diverse environments
• How to leverage test tools in diverse environments
• The process for performing regression testing in diverse environments
• How to build and manage a test environment that starts to simulate the operational environment
• How to measure Return on Investment (ROI) in a Commercial Off-the-shelf Software (COTS) environment
• The impact of various lifecycle models on integration and interoperability testing
• How to keep an application in a diverse environment in a validated state

Who Will Benefit

• Test analysts
• Testers
• Test engineers
• Software developers
• Project managers
• Test lab managers
• QA analysts
• Configuration managers

This course requires basic testing knowledge or experience. 

Program Information

This course is presented on an in-house basis only unless offered as a special public course. Contact us for information about how to bring this course into your organization.

Content and Structure

Module 1 (IITA) - What is Integration and Interoperability Testing? (1 hr.)

• Case Study
• Terminology
• Scope of Testing
• Risks
• Special Considerations - COTS, Internationalization, etc.
• Compliance to Interoperability Standards
• Exercise
  
  

Module 2 (IITB) - Risk Assessment (1.5 Hrs.)

• Technology
• Project/Organizational
• Business/Mission
• How to Base Integration and Interoperability Testing on Risk
• Exercise
  
  

Module 3 (IITC) - Processes and Variations (3 Hrs.)

• Primary Process for Integration and Interoperability Testing (Black Box)
• Configuration Management Processes
• Variations
• Pilots
• Phased integration
• Retrofitting to existing applications
• Converting to new applications and technologies
• Bridging between applications, platforms and tools
• Exercise
  
  

Module 4 (IITD) - Tools for Integration and Interoperability Testing (1 Hr.)

• Defining Tool Requirements - A Scorecard Approach
• Using Multiple Tools for Similar Purposes
• Case Study - Exercise
  
  

Module 5 (IITE) - Regression Testing (2 Hrs.)

• Why Perform Regression Testing?
• Regression Testing Myths 
• The Process
• The Issues
• The Role of Automated Tools
• How Much is Enough?
• Defining the Regression Test Cases
• A Risk Assessment Process for Regression Testing
• Calculating a Potential Defect Value
• Other Criteria for Regression Testing
• Regression Testing by Type of Change
• Building the Regression Set
• Defining Test Case Behavior
• Continually Building the Regression Set
• Tips for Performing Regression Testing
• Exercise
  
  

Module 6 (IITF) - Verifying and Validating Interoperability Standards (2 Hrs.)

• An Overview of Interoperability StandardsThe Role of Interoperability Standards
• Addressing Interoperability Standards in the Test Plan
• Strategies and Tactics for Verifying Compliance to Standards
  
  • Assessment Processes, Techniques and Checklists
• Standards (Compliance Testing)
• Exercise
  
  

Module 7 (IITG) - Building an Integration and Interoperability Test Environment (2 Hrs.)

• Test Environment Components
• Processes
• Tools
• Data Considerations
• Establishing Lines of Human Communication
• Maintaining the Environment
• Minimizing Environmental DependenciesEarly and Ongoing Testing of Technology "Upgrades" in Test Lab
  • Avoiding Vendor "Extensions" to Standards
  • Using Architectural Layers and Interface Standards to Define the Environment
• Exercise
  
  

Module 8 (IITH) - How to Determine ROI in a COTS Environment (1 Hr.)

• Case Study
• Formula to Determine ROI
• The Impact of COTS
• Exercise
  
  

Module 9 (IITI) - The Impact of Lifecycles (2 Hrs.)

• COTS
• The Rational Unified Process
• Waterfall and Modified Waterfall
• Rapid Application Development
• Extreme Programming
• Upgrades
• Exercise
  
  

Module 10 (IITJ) - Ongoing Validation (1.5 Hrs.)

• Risk
• ProcessesExercise
  • Regression Testing
  • Test Data Maintenance
  • Configuration Management
  • On-Going Technology Impact Assessment
  • Early and Ongoing Testing of Technology "Upgrades" in Test Lab 
    
    

Resources

• Checklists and Templates
• Glossary
  
  

Deliverables

• Course notebook with slides, worksheets, checklists, complete examples and supporting text

• You will have the basic information needed to plan and execute an effective test of a software application.