From Hardware to Cloud: The New Era of Software Testing

New Era Of Cloud Testing

It is essential to understand that intensive and rather intricate processes precede the appearance of a new software product in the market. However, it is not limited to the conceptualization and development of the application only. It is also important to perform stability, efficiency, and usability tests. It can be done in a physical setting or even in a virtual setting. Developers generally tend to select hosting services that can support cloud testing or even offshore software testing services. This is a type of testing facility where all the required tests will be conducted.

Key Takeaways :

• A well-organized test environment is crucial for efficient software testing.
• Traditional testing methods are becoming obsolete due to high costs and inefficiencies.
• Cloud testing minimizes costs, allowing developers to pay only for used resources.
• Developers gain control over resources with self-service portals, reducing setup times.
• APIs in cloud environments facilitate rapid deployment, updates, and management of test sites.
• Pre-configured templates in cloud libraries simplify and speed up the testing process.
• Cloud testing is particularly advantageous for handling Big Data applications, offering significant cost savings.
• Integration of Infrastructure-as-Code streamlines customization in cloud environments.
• Cloud testing is a critical evolution in software development, enhancing competitiveness and quality.

Why Do You Need a Test Environment?

Testing a software product is a complicated task that necessitates a methodical approach. Even the most advanced world practices will fail to produce the desired results if the process is not properly organized. Even before the work begins, two critical points should be understood:

1. Define the objectives, methodology, and areas of testing;

2. Create the appropriate test environment.

Market research indicates that traditional approaches to deploying sites for such work are gradually losing relevance. Previously, developers had to build a specific infrastructure for the project and provide support. This represents a significant material expense for the service. Today, fewer and fewer developers take this approach because there is a more convenient and cost-effective solution: cloud testing. The process of testing a product is based on virtual hosting. As a result, work costs are reduced, and the purchase of additional hardware is avoided. The developer simply takes advantage of virtual capacities without sacrificing testing quality.

Difficulties with the Software Testing Process

Let's take a closer look at what issues software developers face today during the testing process. Here are the basic ones:

• The requirement to deploy a large number of dedicated environments during the testing phase for individual features. This is relevant to developers who use the Git version control system. According to statistics, approximately 90% of them do. In this system, each new functionality is assigned its own line in the repository. Its deployment requires time, money, and effort;
• Incomplete use of the machine's computational resources. Approximately 30% of physical machine resources are not used in daily operations. However, energy is consumed to keep them operational. The same picture can be seen in the test equipment. It is idle, but it continues to consume energy, even during weekends and holidays;
• Difficulties with customization and management. The equipment used in the development and testing process includes a database server, application server, caching server, message queue server, and so on. It is difficult to build and maintain such a complex infrastructure. It requires time and skill. There are still several cycles of approval to go through. This wastes time and requires specialized knowledge, which not every system administrator possesses. Third-party specialists may need to be hired. That is, deploying a testing network can take anywhere from a week to a month.

All of this clearly demonstrates that testing a software product using physical hardware is costly, time-consuming, and, in most cases, inefficient. Specialists in this field began to look for other solutions to the problem.

Cloud Testing is the Best Option

The result of such advancements is the cloud testing environment. Its emergence is attributed to the active development of virtual technology. Moving testing to the cloud gives the developer the following advantages:

Cost minimization

Payment for the use of virtual space with reputable providers is calculated per second and only for the resources that are actually used. The client can rent a variety of cloud spaces, including a single server or a cluster, for any length of time. He will only pay for the occupied disk space. Simultaneously, the tester can stop the environment for as long as he needs (overnight, weekends, holidays) without being charged. The savings when compared to round-the-clock rental reach 40%. The total material benefit when compared to testing on physical machines will be 60-70%. If you need more space, simply send a request to the provider. You will immediately receive the necessary space.  You will immediately receive the required space. Likewise, you will be able to eliminate redundant workspace.

Self-control of resources

The developer plans to use self-service portals. This will allow him to set up test environments in the cloud and allocate the resources required for each of them without involving a provider. This approach reduces software testing time by one month on average.

The presence of APIs

In the virtual environment, projects can be created using the "just-in-time" model. Developers will be able to quickly deploy product testing sites, update and delete them, and stop workflows by leveraging REST API capabilities. In the cloud, it is simple to create a complete testing life cycle, allowing hundreds of different environments to remain operational. Simple scalability and per-second billing significantly reduce operating costs. Special tools are also available for creating dynamic test environments. If the test is successful, the environment will be minimized automatically. However, if errors are detected, they will be saved, allowing you to analyze and reprocess.

A collection of ready-made test blocks

You can quickly deploy a testing environment using cloud databases, a variety of containers, and ready-made packages. The developer simply needs to go to the library and select the template that is appropriate for his needs. It will be possible to make changes and additions to it, tailoring it to the needs of a particular project. Templates make it easier to integrate and deploy pre-configured application elements. No changes to the virtual data center settings will be required.

Setup of test environments for Big Data programs

Virtual technologies enable the deployment of test sites for software products designed to handle large amounts of data. This process, like those in other applications, is fully automated. Significant time savings, instant scaling, and per-second billing are offered. It is easy to create test environments for a short period of time. When compared to performing the same tasks on physical servers, cloud technology can save up to 80% of the cost.

Integration of Infrastructure-as-Code

Cloud structures are built using open-source software, which allows for quick and easy integration with various tools. Infrastructure customization is similar to writing code, which is more common among software developers.

Conclusion

The change from the basic physical hardware to the cloud testing environment is one of the major milestones in the software development field. Thus, with the development of the industry, cloud testing will become the key to maintaining competitiveness and providing high-quality software products.

FAQs: From Hardware to Cloud Testing: The New Era of Software Testing

1. What is cloud testing, and how does it differ from traditional hardware testing?

Cloud testing involves using virtual environments hosted on cloud platforms to conduct software tests, unlike traditional hardware testing, which relies on physical servers and infrastructure. Cloud testing is more cost-effective, scalable, and efficient, as it allows developers to pay only for the resources they use.

2. Why is setting up a test environment crucial for software testing?

Setting up a proper test environment is crucial because it ensures that software testing is organized, efficient, and effective. A well-defined test environment helps developers identify objectives, select methodologies, and provide the necessary infrastructure, leading to more accurate and reliable test results.

3. What are the common challenges developers face with traditional software testing?

Common challenges include the need to deploy multiple dedicated environments, underutilization of physical resources, high costs, and complexities in managing and customizing the testing infrastructure. These issues make traditional testing inefficient and costly

4. What are the main benefits of cloud testing for software developers?

Cloud testing offers several benefits, including cost savings through per-second billing, easy scalability, control over resources via self-service portals, and quick setup using pre-configured templates. It also provides flexibility in managing test environments and reduces the need for physical infrastructure.

5. How does cloud testing support Big Data applications?

Cloud testing supports Big Data applications by providing scalable and automated test environments capable of handling large data volumes. This approach offers significant time and cost savings, as developers can quickly set up, scale, and manage test environments tailored to the specific needs of Big Data projects.