Cloud Testing to Mitigate Risk

Tech leaders are continuously adopting cloud IT strategies to leverage the profitable advantages that include speed, agility, scalability, accessibility, flexibility and innovation. Implementation of cloud computing is more and more being considered by organizations as the most suitable and promising choice in the recent years.

According to a Gartner, Worldwide Public Cloud Services Market is expected to reach $250 billion by 2017.

Another insight discussed in “Digital Business says that, over 60 per cent of enterprises were expected to have at least half of their infrastructure on cloud-based platforms by 2018.

Enterprises are becoming more receptive than ever, by accepting cloud computing for their product, solutions, applications, and infrastructure. Due to exponential growth of adopting digital business strategy, the IT industry is observing a strong growth of cloud adoption showing a shift from legacy IT services to cloud-based services.

IDC predicts cloud IT infrastructure spending will grow at CAGR of 15.1% from 2014 to 2019, reaching $53.1B billion by 2019.

Cloud adoption necessitates cautious planning, execution and management for the long term to grow the desired results.

The process of cloud implementation begins with identifying the right cloud service application or solution provider.

Then, data transitioning takes place from the existing servers / web server to the cloud. Finally, a suitable automation tool is adopted to allow data migration, while giving importance to testing; to ensure that the data/software migrated to cloud is working as planned.

Businesses have to evaluate the appropriateness of cloud deployment models available – private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud (an integrated cloud with both private and public clouds) and choose the best option to bring in line with their business goals. Similarly, there are three cloud service models namely SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS to be evaluated.

According to Gartner, the cloud system infrastructure services (infrastructure as a service [IaaS]) will have the highest growth and is projected to grow 45 per cent in 2017.

Cloud testing – Need for it

57% of cloud applications fail due to security failure.
13% of the cloud application fail due to functional & performance failure.

Source – Gartner

From the essential characteristics of cloud computing, one can arrive at the number of risks immediately. The risks in cloud application development can be categorized as below-

• Load/Performance
• Security
• Availability & Continuity
• Functionality
• Testing Data Privacy
• Compatibility
• Business Logic
• Maintainability
• Interoperability
• Regulation & Compliance

To determine the required test measures, all risks have to be mapped. Firstly, conduct a product risk analysis to find out the areas that are important to test. We indicate which test measures can be taken to cover the respective risk.

Cloud Testing Types

Functional Testing: It is implemented for both local and remote applications. It involves testing of all functions and features of the system/application. Functional testing types are; System testing, integration testing and User Acceptance Testing

Non-functional Testing: It is done to make sure that the application meets the stated performance requirements. non-functional testing includes Load testing, Stress testing, Security testing, Performance Testing, Availability testing, Browser testing, Business Requirement testing, Latency testing, etc.

Cloud Testing Tools

The choice of tools for testing is subject to client’s application architecture and requirement. Some of the popular cloud testing tools are below.

Load Test and Performance Monitoring Tools

• Perfecto Mobiles,
• Keynote (Test Center Enterprise)
• Monitis,
• Cloudsleuth
• BrowserMob,
• CloudTools,
• GFI
• LoadStorm,
• CloudHarmony,
• InterMapper,
• BlazeMeter

Web Functional/Regression Test Tools

• Selenium,
• Windmill
• CloudTest,
• QEngine,
• Soasta LoadStorm (Web & Mobile), etc.

Cloud Security Testing Tools

• Wireshark, Nmap, Nessus, Xamarin Test Cloud, App Thwack etc.

Finally, the fact is that the future businesses will be cloud computing on a very large scale. Thus, advanced cloud testing methods and techniques are required to maintain on demand QA services in cloud set-up.

Indium’s expertise in testing applications hosted in cloud helps to drive higher RoI, and minimize risks. Indium’s robust Test Automation Frameworks help achieve faster time to market.

Visit our website to learn more about our:

Cloud Testing Service Offerings

Are you working on cloud testing? Please share your experience. Or got a question? Feel free to comment it.