Automated Software Testing using Open Source

Testing Tools
By Elfriede Dustin
 Agenda
• Who is IDT
• State of Software Testing
• What is Automated Test and Re-test (ATRT)
• Approach to ATRT
• Advantage of open source
• ATRT and open source – Our IDE and
solution
• ATRT Challenges
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http://www.idtus.com
 Who is IDT?
• IDT specializes in the design, development, and
implementation of Automated Software Testing and
Re-Test (ATRT) and Quality Assurance (QA)
solutions
– Deliver turn key automated test suite
• Automated test strategy and identification of highest payoff areas to
apply automation for your project
• Selection of best automation tools for your project
• Using your existing test cases or develop test cases for you
• Test results documented in requirements traceability matrix
– Training and pilot project implementation with companies
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http://www.idtus.com
 Who is IDT?
• IDT specializes in the design, development, and
implementation of Automated Software Testing and
Re-Test (ATRT) and Quality Assurance (QA)
solutions
•We are currently hiring Java Developers
– Deliver turn key automated test suite
•Plus we’d
• Automated like toand
test strategy hire 2 or 3 grad
identification students
of highest payoff to
areas to
apply automation
work for us for your
part project
time ( i.e. 20 hours week )
• Selection of best automation tools for your project
•must be US citizen
• Using your existing test cases or develop test cases for you
• Test results documented in requirements traceability matrix
– Training and pilot project implementation with companies
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 State of Software Testing -
Why ATRT?

?
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 State of Software Testing -
Why ATRT?
50% or More of Overall Development Cost is Utilize Automated Testing Strategies and
Typically Spent on Testing Technology to Improve Productivity and Quality
Size & Complexity of SW Baseline

Spiral / Release 4

Spiral / Release 3 Reduction in

Test Days
Increased
Test Test
Spiral / Release 2
Days Coverage

Test
Spiral / Release 1
Days

Test
Days
Test Manual vs. Automated
Days

IDT Provides Automated Software Testing Solutions 6

http://www.idtus.com
 What is ATRT?

• Our definition of ATRT is:

Application and implementation of software

technology throughout the entire Software
Testing Life Cycle (STL) and QA lifecycle;
with the goal to improve STL efficiencies and
effectiveness

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 ATRT Spans the Software Development
Life Cycle – Visual Modeling

Desig Build Assembl

n e
Round-Trip Engineering
Development Tools

Test
Use Components
cases

 Modeling and test case generation

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 ATRT Spans the Software Development
Life Cycle – Requirements

Requirements Management and

Process Automation

Visual Modeling

Development Tools

Components

 Organizes, tracks, & controls requirements

 Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)
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 ATRT Spans the Software Development
Life Cycle – Automated Test Tools

Requirements Management and

Process Automation

Visual Modeling

Development Tools Development

Management

Components
Execution

AutomatedSoftware
Automated Testing Testing
Tools

 Automates test cases using vendor-provided,

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open-source tools or in-house development
http://www.idtus.com
 ATRT Spans the Software Development
Life Cycle – Integrated Suite of Tools
Requirements Management and
Additionally: Process Automation
 Middleware
Visual Modeling
 Infrastructure
 Defect Tracking
Infrastructur
 Configuration e
Management Development Tools

 Memory Leak
Detectors Components

 Performance
Testing Tools Middleware

 Documentation Automated Testing Tools

Tools
 others Software Configuration Management
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http://www.idtus.com Defect Tracking
 Types of Software Test
Life-cycle Support Tools

• Which tools are you familiar with?

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 Types of Automated Test
Tools
Life-Cycle
Type of Tool Tool Description
Phase

Business Business Modeling Records definitions of user needs and automates rapid
Analysis construction of
Phase flexible, graphical, client-server applications
Configuration Baselines important data repositories
Management

Defect Tracking Manages system life-cycle defects

Technical Review Facilitates communication, while automating the

Management technical review/inspection process

Documentation Automate document generation

Generators

Requirements Requirements Manages and organizes requirements; allows for test

Definition Management procedure design and test progress reporting
Phase
Requirements Verify syntax, semantics, and testability
Verifiers

Use Case Create use cases

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Generators
http://www.idtus.com
 Types of Tools (Cont’d)

Life-Cycle
Type of Tool Tool Description
Phase
Analysis and Database Design Develops second generation enterprise client-server systems
Design Phase
Structure Charts, Manage processes
Flowcharts, and
Sequence Diagrams
Test Procedure Generate test procedures from requirements, design, or data and object
Generators models
Syntax Checkers/ Perform syntax checking and have debugging capability; usually available
Debuggers with built-in programming language compiler
Programming Memory Leak and Detects runtime errors and memory leaks
Phase Runtime Error
Detection
Source Code Testing Verifies maintainability, portability, complexity, and standards compliance

Static and Dynamic Depict quality and structure of code

Analyzers

Metrics Tools Code (Test) Coverage Identify untested code and support dynamic testing
Analyzers or Code
Instrumentors
Usability Measurements Provide usability testing as conducted in usability labs
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 Types of Tools (Cont’d)
Life-Cycle Type of Tool Tool Description
Phase

Other Testing Data Extraction Tool Extract Data from various formats into various formats
Life-Cycle
Test Data Generators Generate test data
Support Tools
File Compare Utilities Find discrepancies between files that should be identical in content

Simulation Simulates application to measure for scalability, among other tasks

Test Management Tests management

Network Testing Monitors, measures, tests, and diagnoses performance across the
entire network
GUI Testing Conducts automated GUI tests; capture/playback tools record user
(Capture/Playback) interactions with online systems so they may be replayed
automatically
Load/Performance Testing Conducts load/performance and stress testing

Security Testing Performs security testing and vulnerability scanning at the

application or network level; plus debuggers will allow to check for
security coding errors (source code checkers)
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 Deployment Approach –
Adapted ATLM
Populate Test Manager
with Test Cases and
Requirements
Identify or Develop
& Pilot
• Test Manager
• Test Scripts
• Data Comparators
Develop Test Scripts • Performance Test Tools
from Test Procedures • GUI Record/Playback
• Storing/Retrieving Results

Collect/Create:
• Requirements
Test Results: • Test Cases
• Pass/Fail by Test Case • Test Procedures
• Pass/Fail Summary • Expected Results
• Test Time Required • Interface Specifications
• System/Component
Configuration Description
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 Why Open Source

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 Why Open Source?
• Advantage of Open Source:
– no licensing issues; i.e. license cost; maintenance;
etc.
– easily modifiable
– adaptable
– lightweight
– flexibility - not tied to one vendor

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http://www.idtus.com
 ATRTs IDE - Eclipse
Eclipse – this site lists all the plugins
http://www.eclipse-
plugins.info/eclipse/plugins.jsp?category=SCM&pager.offset=0&firstItem=1

Eclipse/TPTP – Open Source - Developed by IBM

– Eclipse/Test and Performance Tools Platform (TPTP)
offers a common extensible framework for the following
functions:
• Requirements Management http://sourceforge.net/projects/osrmt/
• Configuration Management - Subversion
• Testing Tools (http://www.nabble.com/Eclipse-TPTP---Testing-
Tools-f2262.html)
• Profiling: default Java applications, but can be extended to other
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apps
http://www.idtus.com
 ATRTs IDE - Eclipse
Eclipse/Test and Performance Tools Platform (TPTP)
offers a common extensible framework for the
following functions (cont):
• Static Analysis: default for C++ and Java, but can be
extended to other apps
• Application monitoring and log analysis
• Build tool – ant
• Xml input and output - using an open source Java
package http://jakarta.apache.org/ecs/ , which is a Java
library that has an API for constructing and outputting
XML.
• Test Manager – STAF/STAX 20
http://www.idtus.com
 Current Test Tool Implementation –
Example and Challenges

Vendor-provided (Capture/Playback) Tool:

Automated test tools mimic actions of the test engineer.
During testing, the engineer uses the keyboard and mouse to perform
some type of test or action.
Testing tool captures all keystrokes and subsequent results, which are
baselined in an automated test script.
During test playback, scripts compare latest outputs with previous
baseline.
Testing tools have built-in, reusable test functions.
Most test tools provide for non-intrusive testing; i.e., they interact with
the “application-under-test” as if the test tool was not involved.
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 Current Testing Tools – Challenges
(cont)

In-House Software Development required:

Capture/Playback tools generate hard-coded values; test

scripts are not reusable, nor do they implement software
development best practices right out of the box; scripts need
to be modified.
Capture/Playback tools don’t necessarily provide all testing
features required; code enhancements are often required to
meet testing needs.
Capture/Playback tools are not necessarily compatible with
system engineering environment, and software testing scripts
need to be developed in-house.
Developed testing scripts are not cross-vendor compatible,
even if the same scripting language is used

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 Linux Capture/Playback Tools
IDT Findings

Replay Xcessory http://www.scl.com/products/ics/motif/testing/replay/

www.ics.com

QF-Test http://www.qfs.de/en/qftestJUI/index.html

Froglogic http://www.froglogic.com/pg?id=Google&category=squishjava

Redstone Software Eggplant

KD Executor http://www.kdab.net/?page=products&sub=kdexecutor

Jameleon http://sourceforge.net/projects/jameleon/

ShUnit2 for shell scripts testing

GNU Linux Desktop Project http://ldtp.freedesktop.org/wiki/Home

Cantana http://www.ipl.com/pdf/p0003.uk.pdf
crontab Part of Unix
crontab, cruisecontrol, www.adminschoice.com/docs/crontab.htm
Dogtail http://people.redhat.com/zcerza/dogtail/about.html
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/linux-automated-gui-testing-with-python-based-
dogtail-tool.html
Expect http://expect.nist.gov/

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 Automated Test and Re-Test
(ATRT)

• ATRT includes a common framework comprised of

re-usable software services
– Open Source Software Test Automation Framework
(STAF)

• Provides automated test procedures, test inputs, and

test results for SW components
– Suitable for use by 3rd parties not associated with
development of the component

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 What is STAX?
STAX is an automation system
With STAX you can automate and monitor your entire test environment
ƒ System/product setup
ƒ Testcase distribution
ƒ Testcase execution
ƒ Testcase results collection and analysis
STAX consists of
ƒ A programming language designed for automation
–Programs written in this language are called jobs
ƒ An execution engine (similar to an interpreter for other programming/scripting
languages) which manages the execution and runtime behavior of the job
ƒ A GUI application, called the STAX Monitor, which provides a dynamically
updated view of your executing jobs
ƒ A tool (STAXDoc) that is used to generate documentation for your STAX jobs
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 STAF can run on:

* Windows 95
* Windows 98 (and 98 SE)
* Windows Millenium Edition
* Windows NT Version 4.0
* Windows 2000
* Windows XP
* Windows Server 2003 (IA32, IA64, AMD64)
* Windows Vista (IA32, AMD64)
* Linux (Intel32/64, AMD64, PPC32/64)
* Linux on zSeries (31-bit, 64-bit)
* AIX Version 4.3.3.0 or higher (32-bit, 64-bit)
* Solaris (Sparc) 2.6 and higher
* Solaris AMD Opteron 64-bit
* HP-UX 11.00 and higher (PA-RISC, IA64 32-bit and 64-bit)
* OS/400 V5R2 or higher
* z/OS UNIX V1.4 and higher
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 STAF Internal Services

• DIAG Provides diagnostics services Internal ("DIAG")

• DELAY Provides a means to sleep a specified amount of time Internal ("DELAY")
• ECHO Echos back a supplied message Internal ("ECHO")
• FILE SYSTEM Allows you to get and copy files across the network Internal ("FS")
• HANDLE Provides information about existing STAF handles Internal ("HANDLE")
• HELP Provides Help on STAF error codes Internal ("HELP")
• MISC Handles miscellaneous commands such as displaying the version of STAF
• that is currently running Internal ("MISC")
• PING Provides a simple is-alive message Internal ("PING")
• PROCESS Allows you to start, stop, and query processes Internal ("PROCESS")
• QUEUE Provides a network-enabled IPC mechanism for STAF Programs Internal ("QUEUE")
• SEMAPHORE Provides network-enabled named event and mutex semaphores Internal ("SEM")
• SERVICE Allows you to list services available on a machine and to examine the
• Requests that have been submitted on a machineInternal ("SERVICE")
• SHUTDOWN Provides a means to shutdown STAF and register for shutdown
• Notifications Internal ("SHUTDOWN")
• TRACE Provides tracing information for STAF services Internal ("TRACE")
• TRUST Interfaces with STAF's security Internal ("TRUST")
• VARIABLEProvides a method for maintaining configuration and runtime data
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• (variables) Internal ("VAR")
http://www.idtus.com
 STAF External Services
The executable code for external STAF services resides outside of STAFProc, for
example in a Java jar file, a C++ DLL file, or a Rexx script file.

• CRON Calls into STAF services at a specified time interval External (Java)
• EMAIL Allows you to send email messages External (Java)
• EVENT Provides a publish/subscribe notification system External (Java)
• EVENTMANAGER Allows you to call STAF services when a specified Event
occurs External (Java)
• HTTP Allows you to make HTTP requests which can be grouped together in a
session External (Java)
• LOG Provides a full-featured logging facility External (C++)
• MONITOR Allows a testcase to publish its current running execution status for
others to read External (C++)
• RESOURCE POOL Allows you to manage exclusive access to pools of elements,
e.g. VM UserIDs or Software Licenses External (C++)
• STAX Provides an XML-based execution engine External (Java)
• ZIP Provides a means to zip/unzip/list/delete PKZip/WinZip compatible archives
External (C++)
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 Technologies used in STAX
STAF
ƒ STAF provides the infrastructure on which STAX builds. The full power of STAF
and its services is exposed for use within STAX jobs.
XML
ƒ The STAX programming language is based on XML. This provides built-in
structure to your jobs, as well as providing a set of existing tools for use in
constructing your jobs, such as XML (aware) editors and XSLT.
Python
ƒ The STAX programming language builds on Python to provide a rich and
accessible data model
ƒ STAX's Python integration also allows you to access the wealth of existing
Python libraries
Java
ƒ The STAX programming language allows you to access existing Java
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classes/libraries, providing another source for reuse
http://www.idtus.com
 Automation Tasks

Automation Startup

System Setup
Execution

Monitoring
Testcase Execution
Synchronization
Testcase Output Analysis Resource Management

Testcase Cleanup

Results Notification

Automation Completion

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 End-to-End Automation with STAF and
STAX

Automation Startup Event, EventManager, Cron

<function>

System Setup FS, Process

S <parallel>
<sequence>
T <process>
<stafcmd>
Process, Monitor, Log, Variable,
Testcase Execution
Queue, ResPool A <testcase>
<timer>

Testcase Output Analysis Log, Process

X <block>
<loop>
<message>
<log>
Testcase Cleanup Process
J <import>
<job>

Results Notification Email, HTTP

o <iterate>
<paralleliterate>
b <hold>
<release>
Automation Completion <terminate>

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 Key ATRT Architecture
Requirements
• Support applications running on multiple computers
• Support applications developed in different languages
• Support applications running on different types of OS’s
• Support applications which have GUI and those which do not (for
example Interface testing)
• Support applications which use different types of network
protocols such as TCP/IP, DDS, etc
• Support integration of multiple commercial testing tools from
different vendors ( allowing as new or better products emerge
in the market they can be utilized )
• Support testing w/o having to install ATRT on the same
computers as the application under test and be able to be
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 Prototype – Proof of Concept
Analysis & Display
Display Application Display Application
Application

Windows System Under Test

Based

Simulation of Application
Processing Messages

Eggplant VNC Robot

R/P R/P

Simulation of Application
Processing Messages

ATRT

Test Manager
RTM
Bugzilla 33
Linux Based
STAF/STAX
http://www.idtus.com
 ATRT Prototyping Effort

• Able to successfully execute ATRT for 48 hours without operator

intervention

• During the tests:

 VNCRobot - Approximately 25,000 operator key strokes were
replayed
 STAF/STAX - More than 1,000,000 messages processed and
verified by ATRT

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 Additional Requirement

• Pristine test environment required – automated

testing tool cannot be installed on Application-
Under-Test PC

 Eggplant – allows for remote capture/playback via

VNCserver and KVM switch
 VNCRobot

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 Automated Software
Testing
• Software testing paradox
• What is it?

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 Effective Automated
Software Testing
Current State:
Developing software in order to test software
Automate the test support development: automated IDL
to code generation; test data generation (using FireEye
from NIST); compare utilities; log file analyzers;
Our Automated Software Testing Goal:
• Minimize Human interaction
– Possibly get on par with Hardware Automated Testing?

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 Hardware Testing: current
state
• Many automated test generators for
manufacturing/ logic devices, circuit testing,
etc., available i.e. SEI/ATG, uMaster, etc.
• Automated testing without human interaction
is the norm for hardware testing

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 Hardware vs. Software
AT
How is hardware testing different?
• Software Challenge:
– Changing requirements
– GUI interfaces
– Code access/availability
– Defects uncovered earlier in the software
development lifecycle are cheaper to fix
• Solution flexibility required – problem
dependent
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 Proposed solutions
Focus on Reusable Components
– Test Data / Expected Results
– Interfaces
– Middleware
Assuming code and models are available:
• Model based testing; automated test case generators based on models
• Eclipse – effective ATRT IDE
• Probes – see Aprobe – Code instrumentation
• Building self-testable components
• Using standard language MOF to Text to generate automate test cases
GUI Testing tool ideas
New tools - other
• Working with NIST to produce additional tools

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 GUI Testing
• Jemmy - java library to test UI

• http://jemmy.netbeans.org/

• http://abbot.sourceforge.net/doc/overview.shtml

• Perl modules

• run via VNCServer?

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 Questions

Email edustin@idtus.com with any follow-up questions

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http://www.idtus.com
 IDT

We are hiring…….
Please come see me now if interested or send
email edustin@idtus.com with any follow-up

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