Test automation has been a key factor in the optimization of test preparation and execution for years, removing the burden of repetitive manual (regression) test execution and enabling tests to be run more often and at any given moment. More recently, the use of service virtualization to simulate the behavior of critical yet (partially) unavailable systems or system components has become an increasingly popular solution in removing test environment constraints and enabling earlier and more extensive testing. When these two are combined, a setup can be created that is even more powerful than the sum of its parts. This presentation will show you how you can dynamically control and configure your virtualized test environments from within your automated test scripts to achieve increased flexibility in your automated test suite. This synergy also works the other way round: virtualized test environments can enable your automated test setup to check parts of the functionality of your application under test that wouldn’t have been testable when using ‘real’ external test environments. The benefits of this integrated test automation and service virtualization setup is illustrated by means of its implementation at one of my clients, where it has enabled the test team to test more, test better and test faster.

1. Bas Dijkstra, november 2014

2.  Introduction
◦ What is service virtualization?
 Case study
◦ Challenges
◦ Solutions
 Benefits of service virtualization to testing and test
automation
 Configuring virtual test environments from within
the automated testing solution

3.  Freelance test consultant
◦ The Future Group
 8+ years of experience
◦ Test automation
◦ Service virtualization

4. Simulation of dependency behaviour

5.  Large provider of telecommunication services in
the Netherlands
 Order management system
◦ Typical provisioning action touches around 10
dependencies

6.  Order data needs to be present in back-end system
 Requires manual configuration of order
◦ This could take days (or even weeks...)
 As a result:
◦ Very limited test data
◦ Long test cycles
◦ Low test coverage
◦ No test automation

7.  Introduction of service virtualization
 Simulation of back-end behaviour
 Virtual asset acts as if order is present

8.  Order provisioning takes minutes, not weeks
 Test team has ‘unlimited’ test data
 Tests can be automated
 Organization can make the move to Agile

9.  Enabler for test automation
 Faster testing
 More control over test data
 Increase of test scope

10.  Previously impossible to automate tests
 Reduction in time is enabler for automated tests
 No more manual regression testing

11.  No more need for weeks of testing
 Developers can do integration testing
◦ “Shift-left” of testing process
 Bug fixes can be retested on the spot

12.  Testers can add and edit test data
 Easier to test specific combinations and situations
◦ Increase in test coverage

16.  basdijkstra@gmail.com
 LinkedIn