Client/Server Software Testing

 

Contents

 

Acknowledgement

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Introduction

 

I: Introduction to Client/Server Architecture

1.      What is Client/Server Computing?

2.      Architectures for Client/Server System.

2.1.  Client/Server 2-tiered architecture

2.2.  Modified 2-tiered architecture

2.3.  3-tiered architecture

3.   Critical Issues Involved in Client/Server System Management

 

II Client/Server Software Testing

1.      Introduction to Client/Server Software Testing

2.      Testing Plan for Client/Server Computing

3.      Client/Server Testing in Different Layers

3.1.      Testing on the Client Side—Graphic User Interface Testing       

3.1.1.        Complexity for Graphic User Interface Testing

3.1.2.        GUI testing techniques

3.2.        Testing  on the Server Side---Application Testing

3.2.1.        Client/Server loading testing

3.2.2.        Volume testing

3.2.3.        Stress testing

3.2.4.        Performance testing

3.2.5.        Other server side testing related to data storage

3.2.6.        Examples for automated server testing tools

3.3.        Networked Application Testing

4.     Special Concerns for Internet Computing —Security Testing

 

 Summary

 

 References

 

Appendix I        Client/Server test plan based on application functionality

Appendix II      CASE STUDY

                           The business scenarios for the MFS imaging system

Appendix III     CASE STUDY

                           Acceptance testing specification for the MFS imaging system

 

 

 

 

 

Client/Server Software Testing

 

Introduction

 

The first part of this essay is the introduction to Client/Server architecture, which includes three sections: What is the Client/Server Computing, Architectures for Client/Server System, and Critical Issues Involved in Client/Server System Management.

 

Client/Server computing is a current reality for professional system developers and for sophisticated departmental computing users. The section, What is the Client/Server Computing, points out the definition and major characteristics of Client/Server computing. Netcentric (or Internet) computing, as an evolution of Client/Server model, has brought new technology to the forefront. Hence, the major characteristics and differences between Netcentic and traditional Client/Server computing are also presented in this section.

 

Both traditional and Netcentric computing are tiered architectures. The brief introduction for three popular architectures, namely, 2-tiered architecture, modified 2-tiered architecture, and 3-tiered architecture are found in the section -- The Architecture for Client/Server Computing.

 

The second part of this essay is about Client/Server software testing. There are four sections in this part: Introduction to Client/Server Software Testing, Testing Plan for Client/Server Computing, Client/Server Testing in Different Layers, and Special Concerns for Internet Computing—Security Testing.

 

In the section Introduction to the Client/Server Software Testing, we present some basic characteristics of Client/Server software testing from different points of view.

 

Because of the difference between traditional and Client/Server software testing, a practical testing plan based on application functionality is attached in section 2 Testing Plan for Client/Server Software Testing. We also give some detailed explanation for different test plans, such as, system test plan, operational plan, acceptance test plan, and regression test plan, which are parts of a Client/Server testing plan.

 

As mentioned in Part I, a Client/Server system has several layers, which can be viewed conceptually and physically. Viewed physically, the layers are client, server, middleware, and network. In section 3 Client/Server Testing in Different Layers, specific concerns related to client, server and network problems, testing techniques, testing tools and some activities are addressed separately in Testing on the Client Side, Testing on the Server Side, and Network Testing.

 

For Internet-based Client/Server systems, security is one of the major concerns. Hence, this essay also includes some security risks that need to be tested in the Part II, section 4 Special Concerns for Internet Computing—Security Testing.

 

 

 

Client/Server Software Testing

 

 

 

I: Introduction to Client/Server architecture:

 

Client/Server system development is the preferred method of constructing cost-effective department- and enterprise-level strategic corporate information systems. It allows the rapid deployment of information systems in end-user environments.

 

1: What is Client/Server Computing?

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Client/Server computing is a style of computing involving multiple processors, one of which is typically a workstation and across which a single business transaction is completed [1].

Client/Server computing recognizes that business users, and not a mainframe, are the center of a business. Therefore, Client/Server is also called “client-centric” computing.

 

Today, Client/Server computing is extended to the Internet—netcentric computing (network centric computing), the concepts of business users have expanded greatly. Forrester Report describes the netcentric computing as “Remote servers and clients cooperating over the Internet to do work” and says that Internet Computing extends and improves the Client/Server model [2].

 

The characteristics of Client/Server computing includes:

1. There are multiple processors.

2. A complete business transaction is processed across multiple servers

 

Netcentric computing ---- as an evolution of Client/Server model, has brought new technology to the forefront, especially in the area of external presence and access, ease of distribution, and media capabilities. Some of new technologies are [3]:

 

a.       Browser, which provides a “universal client”. In the traditional Client/Server environment, distributing an application internally or externally for an enterprise requires that the application be recompiled and tested for all specific workstation platforms (operating systems). It also usually requires loading the application on each client machine. The browser-centric application style offers an alternative to this traditional problem.  The web browser provides a universal client that offers users a consistent and familiar user interface. Using a browser, a user can launch many types of applications and view many types of documents. This can be accomplished on different operating systems and is independent of where the applications or documents reside.

b.      Direct supplier-to-customer relationships. The external presence and access enabled by connecting a business node to the Internet has opened up a series of opportunities to reach an audience outside a company’s traditional internal users.

c.       Richer documents. Netcentric technologies (such as HTML, documents, plug-ins, and Java) and standardization of media information formats enable support for complex documents, applications and even nondiscrete data types such as audio and video.

d.      Application version checking and dynamic update. The configuration management of traditional Client/Server applications, which tend to be stored on both the client and server sides, is a major issue for many corporations. Netcentric computing can checking and update application versions dynamically.

 

2: Architectures for Client/Server System.

 

Both traditional Client/Server as well as netcentric computing are tiered architectures. In both cases, there is a distribution of presentation services, application code, and data across clients and servers. In both cases, there is a networking protocol that is used for communication between clients and servers. In both cases, they support a style of computing where processes on different machines communicate using messages. In this style, the “client” delegates business functions or other tasks (such as data manipulation logic) to one or more server processes. Server processes respond to messages from clients.

 

A Client/Server system has several layers, which can be visualized in either a conceptual or a physical manner. Viewed conceptually, the layers are presentation, process, and database. Viewed physically, the layers are server, client, middleware, and network.

 

2.1. Client/Server 2-tiered architecture:

 

2-tiered architecture is also known as the client-centric model, which implements a “fat” client. Nearly all of the processing happens on the client, and client accesses the database directly rather than through any middleware.  In this model, all of the presentation logic and the business logic are implemented as processes on the client.

 

2-tiered architecture is the simplest one to implement. Hence, it is the simplest one to test. Also, it is the most stable form of Client/Server implementation, making most of the errors that testers find independent of the implementation. Direct access to the database makes it simpler to verify the test results.

 

The disadvantage of this model is the limit of the scalability and difficulties for maintenance. Because it doesn’t partition the application logic very well, changes require reinstallation of the software on all of the client desktops.

 

2.2.    Modified 2-tiered architecture:

 

Because of the nightmare of maintenance of the 2-tiered Client/Server architecture, the business logic is moved to the database side, implemented using triggers and procedures. This kind of model is known as modified 2-tiered architecture.

 

In terms of software testing, modified 2-tiered architecture is more complex than 2-tiered architecture for the following reasons:

a.       It is difficult to create a direct test of the business logic. Special tools are required to implement and verify the tests.

b.      It is possible to test the business logic from the GUI, but there is no way to determine the numbers of procedures and/or triggers that fires and create intermediate results before the end product is achieved.

c.       Another complication is dynamic database queries. They are constructed by the application and exist only when the program needs them. It is very difficult to be sure that the test generates a query “correctly”, or as expected. Special utilities that show what is running in memory must be used during the tests.

 

2.3.    3-tiered architecture:

 

For 3-tiered architecture, the application is divided into a presentation tier, a middle tier, and a data tier. The middle tier is composed of one or more application servers distributed across one or more physical machines. This architecture is also termed the “the thin client—fat server” approach.

This model is very complicated for testing because the business and/or data objects can be invoked from many clients, and the objects can be partitioned across many servers. The characteristics make the 3-tiered architecture desirable as a development and implementation framework at the same time make testing more complicated and tricky.

 

3: Critical Issues Involved in Client/Server System Management:

 

Hurwitz Consulting Group, Inc. has provided a framework for managing Client/Server systems that identifies eight primary management issues [4]:

 

a.       Performance

b.      Problem

c.       Software distribution

d.      Configuration and administration

e.       Data and storage

f.       Operations

g.       Security

h.       License

 

II Client/Server Software Testing:

 

Software testing for Client/Server systems (Desktop or Webtop) presents a new set of testing problems, but it also includes the more traditional problems testers have always faced in the mainframe world. Atre describes the special requirements of Client/Server testing [5]:

a.       The client’s user interface

b.      The client’s interface with the server

c.       The server’s functionality

d.      The network (the reliability and performance of the network)

 

1.      Introduction to the Client/Server Software Testing:

 

We can view the Client/Server software testing from different perspectives:

 

a.       From a “distributed processing” perspective: Since Client/Server is a form of distributed processing, it is necessary to consider its testing implication from that point of view. The term “distributed” implies that data and processes are dispersed across various and miscellaneous platforms. Binder states several issues needed to be considered in the Client/Server environments [6].

·       Client GUI considerations

·       Target environment and platform diversity considerations

·       Distributed database considerations (including replicated data)

·       Distributed processing considerations (including replicated processes)

·       Nonrobust target environment

·       Nonlinear performance relationships

b.      From a cross-platform perspective: The networked cross-platform nature of Client/Server systems requires that we pay much more attention to configuration testing and compatibility testing. The purpose of configuration testing is to uncover the weakness of the system operated in the different known hardware and software environments. The purpose of comparability testing is to find any functionallyinconsistency of the interface across hardware and software.

c.      From a cross-window perspective: The current proliferation of Microsoft Windows environments has created a number of problems for Client/Server developers. For example, Windows 3.1 is a 16-bit environment, and Window 95 and Window NT are 32-bit environment. Mixing and matching 16- bit and 32-bit code/16bits or 32bits systems and products causes major problems. Now there exit some automated tools that can generate both 16-bit and 32-bit test scripts.

 

2.  Testing Plan for Client/Server Computing:

 

In many instances, testing Client/Server software cannot be planned from the perspective of traditional integrated testing activities because this view either is not applicable at all or is too narrow, and other dimensions must be considered. The following are some specific considerations needing to be addressed in a Client/Server testing plan.

·       Must include consideration of the different hardware and software platforms on which the system will be used.

·       Must take into account network and database server performance issues with which mainframe systems did not have to deal.

·       Has to consider the replication of data and processes across networked servers

 

See attached “Client/Server test plan based on application functionality” [7].

 

In the test plan, we may address or construct several different kinds of testing:

a.       The system test plan: System test scenarios are a set of test scripts, which reflect user behaviors in a typical business situation. It’s very important to identify the business scenarios before constructing the system test plan.

 

See attached CASE STUDY: The business scenarios for the MFS imaging system

 

b.      The user acceptance test plan: The user acceptance test plan is very similar to the system test plan. The major difference is direction. The user acceptance test is designed to demonstrate the major system features to the user as opposed to finding new errors.

 

See attached CASE STUDY: Acceptance test specification for the MFS imaging system

 

c.       The operational test plan: It guides the single user testing of the graphical user interface and of the system function. This plan should be constructed according to subsection A and B of Section II in the testing plan template -- Client/Server test plan based on application functionality. (See attached Appendix I)

 

d.      The regression test plan: The regression test plan occurs at two levels. In Client/Server development, regression testing happens between builds. Between system releases, regression testing also occurs postproduction. Each new build/release must be tested for three aspects:

·       To uncover errors introduced by the fix into previously correct function.

·       To uncover previously reported errors that remain.

·       To uncover errors in the new functionality.

 

e.       Multiuser performance test plan: It is necessary to be performed in order to uncover any unexpected system performance problem under load. This test plan should be constructed form Section V of the testing plan template-- Client/Server test plan based on application functionality. (See attached Appendix I)

 

 

3.  Client/Server Testing in Different Layers:

 

3.1.      Testing on the Client Side—Graphic User Interface Testing:     

 

3.1.1       The complexity for Graphic User Interface Testing is due to:

a.       Cross-platform nature:  The same GUI objects may be required to run transparently (provide a consistent interface across platforms, with the cross-platform nature unknown to the user) on different hardware and software platforms

b.      Event-driven nature: GUI-base applications have increased testing requirements because they are in an event-driven environment where user actions are events that determine the application’s behavior. Because the number of available user actions is very high, the number of logical paths in the supporting program code is also very high.

c.       The mouse, as an alternate method of input, also raises some problems. It is necessary to assure that the application handles both mouse input and keyboard input correctly.

d.      The GUI testing also requires testing for the existence of a file that provides supporting data/information for text objects. The application must be sensitive to the existence, or nonexistence.

e.       In many cases, GUI testing also involves the testing of the function that allows end-users  to customize GUI objects. Many GUI development tools give the users the ability to define their own GUI objects. The ability to do this requires the underlying application to be able to recognize and process events related to these custom objects.

 

3.1.2       GUI testing techniques: Many traditional software testing techniques can be used in GUI testing.

 

a.       Review techniques such as walkthroughs and inspections [8]. These human testing procedures have been found to be very effective in the prevention and early correction of errors. It has been documented that two-thirds of all of the errors in finished information systems are the results of logic flaws rather than poor coding [9]. Preventive testing approaches, such as walkthroughs and inspections can eliminate the majority of these analysis and design errors before they go through to the production system.

 

b.      Data validation techniques: Some of the most serious errors in software systems have been the result of inadequate or missing input validation procedures. Software testing has powerful data validation procedures in the form of the Black Box techniques of Equivalence Partitioning, Boundary Analysis, and Error Guessing. These techniques are also very useful in GUI testing.

 

c.       Scenario testing: It is a system-level Black Box approach that also assure good White Box logic-level coverage for Client/Server systems.

 

d.      The decision logic table (DLT): DLT represents an external view of the functional specification that can be used to supplement scenario testing from a logic-coverage perspective. In DLTs, each logical condition in the specification becomes a control path in the finished system. Each rule in the table describes a specific instance of a pathway that must be implemented. Hence, test cases based on the rules in a DLT provide adequate coverage of the module’s logic independent of its coded implementation.

 

In addition to these traditional testing techniques, a number of companies have begun producing structured capture/playback testing tools that address the unique properties of GUIs. The difference between traditional capture/playback and structured capture/playback paradigm is that capture/playback occurs at an external level. It records input as keystrokes or mouse actions and output as screen images that are saved and compared against inputs and output images of subsequent tasks.

 

Structured capture/playback is based on an internal view of external activities. The application program’s interactions with the GUI are recorded as internal ‘events” that can be saved as “scripts” written in some certain language.

                   

3.2      Testing on the  Server Side---Application Testing:

 

There are several situations that scripts can be designed to invoke during several tests: load testing, volume tests, stress tests, performance tests, and data-recovery tests.

 

3.2.1       Client/Server loading tests:

 

Client/Server systems must undergo two types of testing: single-user-functional-based testing and multiuser loading testing.

Multiuser loading testing is the best method to gauge Client/Server performance. It is necessary in order to determine the suitability of application server, database server, and web server performance. Because multiuser load test requires emulating a situation in which multiple clients access a single server application, it is almost impossible to be done without automation.

 

For the Client/Server load testing, some common objectives include:

·       Measuring the length of time to complete an entire task

·       Discovering which hardware/software configuration provides optimal performance

·       Tuning database queries for optimal response

·       Capturing Mean-Time-To-Failure as a measure of reliability

·       Measuring system capacity to handle loads without performance degradation

·       Identifying performance bottlenecks

 

           Based on the test objectives, a set of performance measurements should be described. Typical measurements include:

·       End-to-end response time

·       Network response time

·       GUI response time

·       Server response time

·       Middleware response time

 

3.2.2       Volume testing:

The purpose of volume testing is to find weaknesses in the system with respect to its handling of large amount of data during extended time periods

 

3.2.3       Stress testing:

The purpose of stress testing is to find defects of the system capacity of handling large numbers of transactions during peak periods. For example, a script might require users to login and proceed with their daily activities while, at the same time, requiring that a series of workstations emulating a large number of other systems are running recorded scripts that add, update, or delete from the database.

 

3.2.4       Performance testing:

System performance is generally assessed in terms of response time and throughput rates under differing processing and configuration conditions. To attack the performance problems, there are several questions should be asked first:

·       How much application logic should be remotely executed?

·       How much updating should be done to the database server over the network from the client workstation?

·       How much data should be sent to each in each transaction?

 

According to Hamilton [10], the performance problems are most often the result of the client or server being configured inappropriately.

 

The best strategy for improving client-sever performance is a three-step process [11].  First, execute controlled performance tests that collect the data about volume, stress, and loading tests. Second, analyze the collected data. Third, examine and tune the database queries and, if necessary, provide temporary data storage on the client while the application is executing.

 

3.2.5       Other server side testing related to data storage:

·       Data recovery testing

·       Data backup and restoring testing

·       Data security testing

·       Replicated data integrity testing.

 

3.2.6       Examples for automated server testing tools:

LoadRunning/XL, offered from Mercury Interactive, is a Unix-based automated server testing tool that tests the server side of multiuser Client/Server application. LoadRunning/PC is similar to products based on Windows environments.

 

SQL Inspector and ODBC Inspector are tools for testing the link between the client and the server.  These products monitor the database interface pipeline and collect information about all database calls or a selected subset of them.

 

SQL Profiler, is used for tuning database calls. It stores and displays statistics about SQL commands embedded in Client/Server applications.

 

SQLEYE is an NT-based tool, offered by Microsoft. It can track the information passed through the SQL Server and its client. Client application connect indirectly to SQL server through SQLEYE, which allows users to view the queries sent to SQL Server, the returned results, row counts, message, and errors

 

3.3      Networked Application Testing

 

Testing the network is beyond the scope of an individual Client/Server project as it may serve more than a single Client/Server project. Thus, network testing falls into the domain of the network management group. As Robert Buchanan [12] said: “If you haven’t tested a network solution, it’s hard to say if it works. It may ‘work’. It may execute all commands, but it may be too slow for your needs”.

 

Nemzom blames the majority of network performance problem on insufficient network capacity [13]. He views bandwidth and latency as the critical determinants of network speed and capacity.  He also sees interactions among intermediate network nodes (switches, bridges, routers and gateways) as adding to the problem.

 

         Elements of network testing include:

·       Application response time measures

·       Application functionality

·       Throughput and performance measurement

·       Configuration and sizing

·       Stress testing and performance testing

·       Reliability

 

It is necessary to measure application response time while the application is completing a series of tasks.  This kind of measure reflects the user’s perception of the network, and is applicable through the entire network life cycle phase. Testing application functionality involves testing shared functionality across workstations, shared data, and shared processes.  This type of testing is applicable during the development and evolution. Configuration and sizing measure the response of specific system configurations. This is done for different network configurations until the desired performance level is reached. . The point of stress testing is to overload network resource such as routers or hubs. Performance testing can be used to determine how many network devices will be required to meet the network’s performance requirements. Reliability testing involves running the network for 24-72 hrs under a medium-to-heavy load. From a reliability point of view, it is important that the network remain functional in the event of a node failure.

          

4           Special Concerns for Internet Computing --- Security Testing:

 

For internet-based Client/Server systems, security testing for the web server is important. The web server is your LAN’s window to the world and, conversely, is the world’s window to your LAN.

 

The following excerpt is taken from the WWW Security FAQ  [14]:

 

It’s a maxim in system security circles that buggy software opens up security holes. It’s a maxim in software development circles that large, complex programs contain bugs. Unfortunately, web servers are large, complex programs that can contain security holes. Furthermore, the open architecture of web server allows arbitrary CGI scripts to be executed on the server’s side of the connection in response to remote requests. Any CGI script installed at your site may contain bugs, and every such bug is a potential security hole.

 

Three types of security risks have been identified [15]:

 

1.      The primary risk is errors in the web server side misconfiguration that would allow  remote users to:

·       Steal confidential information

·       Execute commands on the server host, thus allowing the users to modify the system

·       Gain information about the server host that would allow them to break into the system

·       Launch attacks that will bring the system down.

2.      The secondary risk occurs on the Browser-side

·       Active content that crashes the browser, damages your system, breaches your company’s privacy, or creates an annoyance.

·       The misuse of personal information provided by the end user.

3.      The tertiary risk is data interception during data transfer.

 

The above risks are also the focuses of web server security testing. As a tester, it is your responsibility to test if the security extends provided by the server meet the user’s expectation for the network security.

 

 

Summary:

 

Client/Server system development is the preferred method of constructing cost-effective department- and enterprise-level strategic corporate information systems. It allows the rapid deployment of information systems in end-user environments

 

Both traditional Client/Server as well as netcentric computing are tiered architectures. Currently, the dominant three types of Client/Server architectures include 2-tiered architecture, modified 2-tiered architecture, and three tiered architecture. 2-tiered architecture is the simplest one to implement, and the simplest one to test. The characteristics of the 3-tiered architecture that make desirable as development and implementation framework at the same time make testing more complicated

 

Testing Client/Server software cannot be planned from the perspective of traditional integrated testing activities. In a Client/Server testing plan, some specific considerations, such as different hardware and software platforms, network and database server performance issues, the replication of data and processes across networked servers, etc. need to be addressed.

 

The complexity for GUI (Graphic User Interface) testing is increase because of some characteristics of GUIs, for instance, its cross-platform nature, event-driven nature, and an additional input method—mouse. Many traditional software testing techniques can be used in GUI testing. Currently, a number of companies have begun producing structured capture/playback tools that address the unique properties of GUIs.

 

There are several situations that scripts can be designed to be invoked during server tests: load testing, volume tests, stress tests, performance tests, and data-recovery tests. These types of testing are nearly impossible without automation. Some sophisticated testing tools used in server side testing already emerged in the market, such as LoadRunning/Xl, SQL Inspector, SQL profiler, and SQLEYE.

 

Network test is a necessary but difficult series of tasks. Its difficulty is compounded by the fact that Client/Server development may be targeted for an exiting network or for one that is yet to be installed. Proactive network management and proper capacity planning will be very helpful. In addition, performance and stress testing can ease the network testing burden.

 

For internet-based Client/Server systems, security testing for the web server is important. The web server is your LAN’s window to the world and, conversely, is the world’s window to your LAN. As a tester, it is your responsibility to find weakness in the system security

 

 

 

 

References:

 

1.      Goodyear, Mark. Enterprise System Architectures. CRC Press LLC, 2000, p.1-1.

2.      Mosley, Daniel J.. Client/Server Software Testing on the Desktop and the Web, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000, pXV.

3.      Goodyear, Mark. Enterprise System Architectures. CRC Press LLC, 2000, pp.1-4.

4.      Bourne, Kelly. SQL Process. DAMS, Vol. 8, No.12, November 1995, p.34 (3).

5.      Shaku, Atre. Client/Server Application Development Testing: A Special Report by Atre Associates, Inc., 222 Grace Church Street, Port Chester, NY 10573-5155.

6.      Binder, Robert A. Test Case Design for Object-Oriented Programming: The FREE Approach. Robert Binder Systems Consulting, Inc., Chicago, 1992.

7.      Mosley, Daniel J. Client/Server Software Testing on the Desktop and the Web, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000, pp.72-4.

8.      Mosley, Daniel J. The Handbook of MIS Application Software Testing: Methods, Techniques, and Tools for Assuring Quality Through Testing. Prentice-Hall Yourdon Press, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993.

9.      Myers, Glenford. Software Reliability, John Wiley &Sons, New York, 1977.

10.  Hamilton, Dennies. Don’t Let Client/Server Performance Gotchas Getcha. Datamation, Vol. 40; No. 21; November 1, 1994, p.39.

11.  Mosley, Daniel J. Client/Server Software Testing on the Desktop and the Web, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000, p.143.

12.  Buchanan,Robert. Weird Science (Proactive Testing for Network Systems). LAN Magazine, Vol.9, No. 7, July 1994, pp.115-9.

13.  Nemzow, Marty. Keeping a Lid on Network Capacity. LAN Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 13, December 1994, pp. 61-4.

14.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute National de Researche en Informatique et en Automatique, Keio University). All rights reserved. http://www.w3.org/consortium/legal/.

15.  Mosley, Daniel J. Client/Server Software Testing on the Desktop and the Web, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000, p.276.

 

 

 

Appendix I

 

 

Client/Server test plan based on application functionality

 

* Source: Mosley, Daniel J. Client/Server Software Testing on the Desktop and the Web, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000, p72-4.

 

Document ID

Document locator

 

I.  Introduction

    Scope

            General Testing Objectives

             Level of Tests

Types of Tests

Areas Not Being Tested

Supporting Documents

    Methods

           Test Case Design and Construction

    Standards

 

II Environment Requirements

Hardware

Software

Personal

 

III Work Flow and Deliverable

Testing Responsibilities

Testing Milestones

Testing Deliverables

 

IV. Test Management and Procedure Controls

     Testing Management

Test Team

Testing Schedule

Required Resources

Testing Deliverables

Test Analysis, Reporting, and Tracking Mechanisms

Defect Identification

Defect Tracking

Testing Quality Metrics

Testing Process Improvement Metrics

     Testing Procedure Controls

Test Initiating

Test Execution

Test Failure

Configuration Management

Document Control

 

V. Graphical User Interface Test Plan

GUI Description

GUI Testing Objectives

GUI Testing Methods

GUI Objects to Be Tested

GUI Test Case Design

GUI Test Data Creation

GUI Verification Tests

    GUI Test Tools

 

VI. Server Test Plan

Server Testing Objectives

Server Testing Methods

           Server Functions to Be Tested

                  Stress Testing

                  Volume Testing

      Server Test Data Creation

      Server Verification Testing

      Test Tools

 

VII. Network Test Plan

Network Testing Objectives

Network Testing Methods

Network Functions to Be Tested

Performance Testing

Stress Testing

Network Test Data Creation

Network Verification Testing

Network Testing Tools

 

VIII. Functional Testing

Functional Testing Objectives

Functional Testing Methods

Function To Be Tested

Black Box

                         Cause-Effect Graphing

                         Equivalence partitioning

                         Boundary Analysis

                         Error Guessing

Gray Box

Decision Logic Tables

White Box

Basis Testing

Functional Verification Testing

Functional Testing Tools

 

IX. System Testing

System Testing Objectives

System Testing Methods

Business Scenarios to Be Tested

Business Scenarios Test Script Creation

Business Scenarios Verification Testing

Business Scenarios Validation Testing

       System Testing Tools

 

X. Regression Testing

     Regression Testing Objectives

     Regression Testing Methods

     Regression Testing Tools

 

Appendix II: CASE STUDY

 

 

 

The business scenarios for the MFS imaging system

 

·       According to the Client/Server test plan template, this document belongs to the Business Scenarios in the system test plan

 

To construct the Acceptant Test Specification for the MFS imaging system, we identify the business scenarios first, then develop the acceptance test based on this scenarios.

 

Usage scenarios:

 

1.1: Under what circumstances do we look at an invoice/image?

 

a.      Scanning:  In mailroom, students open the mail (and sort invoices in alphabetic order by vendors’ name?),  then scan the invoices into FDD.

 

b.     Data entry: There are three different situations for data entry

1.     The processors open the image file, and perform corresponding data entry.

2.     Import data entry from library.  In this situation,

-----how to attach image file to MFS record?

-----how to deal with one-to-many   relationship between records and one batch of invoice?

      3.   Credit charge: may have information of any number of people or department, but we only have one batch.

 

c.      Imaging Research:

1.     Grant invoice. About imaging Batch Reports (from library) and imaging direct invoice voucher approval

2.     To retrieve the image file for further verification:

·       when the vendor claims that an invoice isn’t paid

·       when the department claims that ordered product aren’t received.

·       when the PO # on the invoice doesn’t match or there is no PO# at all, we have to  forward the image file to the department for further approval or request for more information.

3.     Verify the account number

4.     For file tracking: Keep live files for one and half year’s online access for any request purpose, and keep archived file for additional five and half year

5.     For internal or external audit: Retrieval of image files per any particular audit request.

 

 f.  Quality assurance:

1.     Recheck the legibility of the image file. If we decided to rescan the file, we should consider:

a.      How to find the original document?  In effect, the question is about after we scan the file, where, how and how long to keep the hard copy?

b.     Do the rescanned images belong to the same batch or to a different batch?

2.     Linking test (Is the imaging file linked to the records correctly)?

 

 

2.2:  Under what conditions are invoices looked at outside the Comptroller’s Office?

a.      Forward image files to the corresponding department for further approval or request for more information. In this case, we should define how to forward the imaging file to the department.

·       when the department claims that the ordered product are not received

·       when the PO # on the invoice doesn’t match or no PO# at all

b.     Facility service office should have permission to research and access to the image files related to this department.

c.      Purchase department: when the purchasing director requests the item and product

      price detail, she needs to look at image file.

d.     Per any client’s request, sent image files to the client for further verification. This could be done by attaching a URL link or an image file in the email.

 

                

 

Appendix III: CASE STUDY

 

 

Acceptance testing specification for the MFS imaging system:

 

* According to the Client/Server test plan template, this document belongs to part of System test Plan, it specifies the test scripts for business scenarios.

 

This is a complementary list for Feith’s ACCEPTANCE SPECIFICATION.  We address specific concerns related to the Marquette Financial System.

1: Testing the capability of the scanning station:

·       Handle different sizes, colors, and shapes of documents

·       Quantify the scanning speed (seconds/10pages) and readability (legible pages / total scanned pages)

·       Fine-tune scanner functions provided by Feith to rescan unreadable documents.

 

2: Identifying the images:

·       Identify a logical document composed of several consecutive pages

·       Assign key words to scanned images and index these key words and the whole batch while performing data entry

·       Assign key words to scanned images and index these key words and the whole batch in the situation that we directly import data records from the Libraries. In this case, no data entry task is needed currently.

·       Create one-to-one relationship between imported data entries and corresponding imaged documents.

 

3: Integrating FDD with MFS

·       Search the imaged document through MFS by currently indexed fields, such as purchase order number, vendor number, invoice number, etc.

·       Search the imaged documents at the batch level.

·       Search the imaged documents with incomplete or incorrect information, which usually stay in a “hold” state, instead of “approved”.

·       Demonstrate that authorized users from the outside of the Controller office can retrieve the images through the MFS.

 

 

4.  Demonstrate how to enter data records into MFS for a corresponding imaged document stored in the Image server.

5.  Viewing images locally or remotely

·       View an imaged document via the browser or via FDD client software with appropriate rights.

·       Demonstrate the other viewing functions provided by Feith such as: magnifying, displaying multiple pages in a window, navigating through page control display bars ...

·       Quantify the image download time in order to estimate the performance

 

6: Archiving

·       Assign a lifetime to an imaged document, after which it is automatically archived or deleted.

Eventually, we want to archive invoice images after 18 months.  Hence, as an acceptance test, we want to see a demonstration that has the functionality of assigning a lifetime to a document.  After a lifetime of 18 months, the document may be raised in an exception report for human action, automatically archived and removed from the online storage, or some other action we specify.

·       Archive images off line automatically

·       Search for off-line archived files

·       Retrieve off-line archived files

 

7: Administration:

·       Set up accounts for different users and groups with different access rights.

·       For each allowed right, demonstrate that the user can exercise that right both locally and remotely.

·       For each denied right, demonstrate that the user is denied that right.

 

8: Testing the capability of notifying the users electronically if the image should be verified by the outside of the Controller’s Office

    Two possibilities:

1.   Export an image to TIFF, other graphic format, or text files, attach it to an e-mail message and send it out, receive it, extract and view it.

2.   Place in an email message a link (a URL) to the imaged file

 

If we use a URL link, we should make sure only authorized users can view the images through the attached URL.

9: Add additional imaged pages to an existing document.

10: Delete a logical document from a batch

(If we decide that images are not legible, we want to delete them from their batch and rescan them.)

11: Add additional documents to an existing batch

(After rescanning, we may need to put the document back into its original batch)

 

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