Test Data Management : Approach for Functional Testing

Charu Jain

The Quality Mind set: From Destination to Journey

Continuous Integration

Nightly Build

Pair Programmin

g

Regression

Smoke/Soak

Performance / Endurance

Our Focus : Regression Testing in Data Intensive Applications

Introduction: The Speed Dilemma

Test More?

Test Quickly

?

Data Intensive: Testing Complexities

• Testing against data variations

• The software evolution due to business and technical changes

• Evolution of data providers

Key Testing Considerations• Business logic verification • Data conditions coverage

Business Logic Testing: Traditional Approach

• Business logic in test case; Tight coupling with Application code• Complex design of test cases• Additional constructs in Test Script for Data Handling

• Implications↓As business logic evolves, both code and script need to evolve↓QA testing for Test Script required↓Test Execution time could increase due to overhead of Data Handling

Data Sources vs TestingMock Data Integrated

Test Environment

•Quick to setup

•Easy to maintain

•Unit testing

•Limited data set/low volume data

•Good coverage

•Progressive testing

•Operations overhead

•Refresh Management

•Complexities in verifying business logic with moving data.

Managed Test Data

•Good coverage

•Scripts are independent of functional logic.

• Initial setup-Production dump

Data Testing : An Example• The Scenario

▫ Auto Renewal of Fixed Deposit Process▫ Processing : For all FD getting mature on a specified date▫ Business Cases:

Opted / Not Opted Period of Renewals same as original Interest Rates to be latest

Auto Renew FD

FD Master Info

Interest Rates

FD Renewals

Managed Test Data : The Approach

The Change

Certification

Add to Regression

Suite

Periodic refresh from Production

Progression Testing Automated

Regression Testing*

Automated Scripting*

Addition to Automation

Suite

1

2

3

*Managed Data Environemt

Progression Testing: Step1Integrated Test Data Environment

FD Renewal-(Interest

Rate)

FD Master Information

Interest Rate

Progression Validation

FD Renewal – Certified State(Interest Rate)

The Change

Certification

Add to Regression

Suite

Progression Testing Automated

Regression Testing

Automated Scripting

1

2

3

An Illustration:

Test Script steps in Managed Data▫ If Duration is 80D and SrCtz is N

Interest Rate is 6▫ If Duration is 5yr and SrCtz is N

Interest Rate is 7.5▫ If Duration is 5yr and SrCtz is Y

Interest Rate is 8▫ Compare interest with

application output of Interest

RefNo Name M Amt Duration Sr Ctz?

10101 Suman 10,000 80D N

10201 Raman 20,000 1yr Y

10301 Rakesh 50,000 5yr N

10401 Tapish 75,000 5yr Y

RefNo Duration Rate (%)

R01 0-179 6

R02 6m-1yr 7

R03 <1yr, >3yr 8

R04 >3yr 7.5

FD Master Interest Rate

• Test Script steps in Integrated environment.▫ Read from ‘FD Master’

Duration Sr Ctz flag

▫ Logical operation- Compare duration Apply the flag

▫ Calculate interest.▫ Compare interest with application

output of Interest

Progression Automated: Step 2Managed Test Data Environment

FD Renewal(Interest

Calculation)

FD Master Information

Interest Rate

Automated validation

output against the expected results.

FD Renewal Certified

Additional Progression/RegressionParallel Execution - Step 1 and 3

FD Renewal(Interest

Calculation) +

(Maturity Date)

FD Master Information

Start date/duration

Interest Rate

Progression Certification

(Maturity Date) Automated Regression

Managed Data Environment

FD Renewal Certified(Interest

Calculation) +(Maturity Date)

Benefits:• Parallel execution of progression and regression

• Test Scripts agnostic to logic in functionality

• Optimization of execution time for automated regression.

• Focus on domain knowledge, scripting skills not mandatory.

• Very suitable for Agile delivery process

• Suitable for applications where Data volume is high

• Suitable when physical data copy is maintained.

Note of Caution:• Dedicated environment– Cost & Ongoing maintenance.

• Periodic refreshes may lead to revalidation of test cases.

• Data masking might be required for sensitive data.

• Challenge if there is an automation backlog.

Thank You