Software testing as a service

BANGALORE, INDIA: Typically, software testing is done either internally using the infrastructure that exists within the organization, or then is outsourced to software services providers. At the IT service provider's side, software testing underwent a long drawn evolution cycle. From ad-hoc practices within different business units, it gradually evolved to a centralized Managed Test Center approach, and finally towards institutionalising a Testing Center of Excellence (TCoE) within the organisation.

The final stage of the evolution cycle of testing has manifested in the form of Testing-as-a-Service (TaaS). Today, Testing-as-a-Service is being increasingly considered a viable testing model by many organizations to achieve reduced costs and improved service for their IT test requirements. As per industry reports, the worldwide market for software and systems testing services will reach over $56 billion in 2013-14 (about 20% of end-user spending). Out of this the potential for managed test services may account for nearly USD 30 billion (~53 per cent)..

The need to move on the cloud

Depending on the enterprise requirements, the amount of infrastructure utilized can be increased or decreased to manage the existing load through the benefits of a pay-per-use model. There are four key factors which govern the process of taking an existing application requirement to the cloud. These elements provide the appropriate framework for delivering enterprise ready testing on the cloud.

- People - Subject matter experts with domain knowledge, test experience, management.

- Processes - Well developed test process and methodology which would generate more test cases in specific domains.

- Governance - Relationship management, QA Project management office, productivity, demand management, risk mitigation.

- Infrastructure - Public or Private Cloud based test environment, test automation, tools/partners, test ware management.

Since, there is no standardized approach to implementing TaaS, enterprises need to undertake a thorough assessment specifically around testing. This assessment exercise will lead to the formation of a right cloud environ­­­­­­­­­­ment, load, risk analysis, mitigation and governance for the enterprise. The discovery and portfol­­io analysis process is an important phase that sets the right expectations with the stakeholders, produces a cohesive testing roadmap, and ultimately leads to the greatest ROI. TaaS can be used in the following scenarios:

1. Functional testing — In a continuous integration kind of scenario, TaaS could be a platform for creating an agile based functional testing environment

2. Load Testing — TaaS could be used for creating various kinds of loads to stress test applications. The scale-in/scale-out nature of cloud comes in handy for generating variable loads.

3. Performance and Benchmark testing — For ISV's, looking to create benchmark reports for their products with their standardized test suites, TaaS can be used

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