Cloud Testing: Trends & Challenges

Software Testing: “The process of analyzing a software
item to detect the differences between existing and required conditions (that
is, bugs), and to evaluate the features of the software item.” (Ref. IEEE Std
829)

What does that mean?
It means testers execute an application with the intent of finding defects or
bugs. We execute the application in an environment that is set as close as
possible to how the customers or end users will be using the system. This was
easier when the application was installed in a local and controlled
environment. Software testers could control the variables within these systems
to replicate customer environments and test the application. Now, with the
cloud comes challenges that are somewhat different from traditional software
testing.

What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing in simple terms is Internet-based computing. Users
(consumers and businesses) can use applications from any computer through the
Internet on demand. This is being forecast as the next big thing in the
technology industry, and it is certainly a focus for Wolters Kluwer (see David
Bergstein’s posts on the benefits of cloud computing for accounting firms). The
cloud gives the opportunity for collaboration without boundaries. Companies can
increase capacity without investing a lot in infrastructure. More and more
companies will jump onto this bandwagon and will promote integration of
services across borders. Services can be offered as software (SaaS – software
as service), platform (PaaS – platform as service) or as infrastructure (IaaS –
infrastructure as a service).

Who is in the cloud? Wolters Kluwer, Google, Microsoft,
Hewlett Packard, IBM, Salesforce, Amazon to name a few.

What are some testing challenges in cloud computing?

• Dependency on the
  Internet – Applications are not installed locally in controlled
  environments. This makes it harder for testers to replicate the user
  environment.
• Security-
  Since information travels through the Internet, testers have to perform
  security testing to make sure there is no data leakage when data
  is sent over the Internet. Wikileaks is an example of threats that we
  have to prepare for and test before the application can be released to
  customers.
• Testing all layers – testing the network connection, server performance, database, and
  software application adds multiple layers to testing. Testers have to
  test the communication between the layers, test the connection between the
  elements, and also plan for the risks. What if the connection breaks
  mid-way? What if the server is down? What if the software crashes? Testers
  have to test beyond what they can physically control in their environment.

Keeping a close eye on these areas ensures that cloud applications and
products are safe, secure, and competitive. The cloud is here to stay and
software testers and development teams will have to stay ahead of the curve to
be able to support leading software applications in the cloud.