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Hi everyone! today we learn about What Is Test Environment for Software Testing In Flutter. A Test environment is where the testing teams analyze the quality of the application/program. This also allows computer programmers to identify and fix any bugs that may impact the smooth functioning of the application or impair user experience. Let’s learn in more detail.

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Table Of Contents::

What is a Test Environment?

Key areas to set up in Test Environment

Process of Software Test environment setup

Test Environment Management

Test Environment Checklist

Challenges in setting up Test Environment Management

Best practices for setting up a Test Environment Management

What is Test Bed in Software Testing?

Summary

Conclusion

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What is a Test Environment?

A testing environment is a setup of software and hardware for the testing teams to execute test cases. In other words, it supports test execution with hardware, software and network configured.

The testbed or test environment is configured as per the need of the Application Under Test. On a few occasions, the test bed could be the combination of the test environment and the test data it operates.

Setting up the right test environment ensures software testing success. Any flaws in this process may lead to extra costs and time for the client.

Key areas to set up in Test Environment:

For the test environment, a key area to set up includes

• System and applications
• Test data
• Database server
• Front-end running environment
• Client operating system
• Browser
• Hardware includes Server Operating system
• Network
• Documentation required like reference documents/configuration guides/installation guides/ user manuals

Process of Software Test environment setup:

Tests are limited to what can be tested and what not should be tested.

The following people are involved in the test environment setup

• System Admins,
• Developers
• Testers
• Sometimes users or techies with an affinity for testing.

The test environment requires setting up of various number of distinct areas like,

• > Setup of Test Server:

Every test may not be executed on a local machine. It may need to establish a test server, which can support applications.

For example, Fedora is set up for PHP, Java-based applications with or without mail servers, crone setup, Java-based applications, etc.

• > Network:

Network set up as per the test requirement. It includes,

• Internet setup
• LAN WIFI setup
• Private network setup

It ensures that the congestion that occurs during testing doesn’t affect other members. (Developers, designers, content writers, etc.)

• > Test PC setup:

For web testing, you may need to set up different browsers for different testers. For desktop applications, you need various types of OS for different testers’ PCs.

For example, windows phone app testing may require

• Visual Studio installation
• Windows phone emulator
• Alternatively, assign a windows phone to the tester.
• > Bug Reporting:

Bug reporting tools should be provided to testers.

• > Creating Test Data for the Test Environment:

Many companies use a separate test environment to test the software product. The common approach used is to copy production data to test. This helps the tester, to detect the same issues as a live production server, without corrupting the production data.

The approach for copying production data to test data includes,

• Set up production jobs to copy the data to a common test environment
• All PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is modified along with other sensitive data. The PII is replaced with logically correct, but non-personal data.
• Remove data that is irrelevant to your test.

Testers or developers can copy this to their test environments. They can modify it as per their requirement.

Privacy is the main issue in copy production data. To overcome privacy issues you should look into obfuscated and anonymized test data.

For the Anonymization of data two approaches can be used,

• BlackList: In this approach, all the data fields are left unchanged. Except those fields specified by the users.
• WhiteList: By default, this approach, anonymizes all data fields. Except for a list of fields that are allowed to be copied. A whitelisted field implies that it is okay to copy the data as it is and anonymization is not required.

Also, if you are using production data, you need to be smart about how to source data. Querying the database using SQL script is an effective approach.

Test Environment Management:

Test Environment Management deals with the maintenance and upkeep of the test bed.

A list of activities by the Test environment management function includes,

1. Maintenance of a central repository with all the updated versions of test environments.
2. Test environment management as per the test team’s demands.
3. As per the new requirements creating new environments
4. Monitoring of the environments
5. Updating/deleting outdated test-environments
6. Investigation of issues in the environment
7. Coordination till an issue resolution.

Test Environment Checklist:

Besides these, there are a few more questions to answer before setting up the test environment.

• Whether to develop an internal Test Environment or to outsource?
• Whether to follow an internal company standard or follow any External (IEE, ISO, etc.)?
• How long the test environment is required?
• Differences between the test and production systems and their impact on test validity must be determined.
• Can you re-use an existing setup for other projects in the company?

Challenges in setting up Test Environment Management:

1. Proper planning on resource usage Ineffective planning for resource usage can affect the actual output. Also, it may lead to conflict between teams.
2. Remote environment It is possible that a Test environment is located geographically apart. In such a case, the testing team has to rely on the support team for various test assets. (Software, hardware, and other issues).
3. Elaborate setup time Sometimes test setup gets too elaborated in cases of Integration Testing.
4. Shared usage by teams If the testing environment is used by development & testing teams simultaneously, test results will be corrupted.
5. Complex test configuration Certain test requires complex test environment configuration. It may pose a challenge to the test team.

Best practices for setting up a Test Environment Management:

1. Understand the test requirements thoroughly and educate the test team members.
2. Connectivity should be checked before the initiation of the testing
3. Check for the required hardware and software, licenses
4. Browsers and versions
5. Planning out the Scheduled use of the test environment.
6. Automation tools and their configurations.

What is Test Bed in Software Testing?

A Test Bed in Software Testing is a software development environment. It allows developers to test their modules without affecting the live production servers. The testbed is not only confined to developers but is also used by testers. It is referred to as a test environment for rigorous and transparent testing of new technologies.

Summary:

• A testing environment is a setup of software and hardware on which the test team will conduct the testing
• For the test environment, a key area to set up includes
• System and applications
• Test data
• Database server
• Front-end running environment, etc.
• Few challenges while setting up a test environment include,
• Remote environment
• Combined usage between teams
• Elaborate setup time
• Ineffective planning for resource usage for integration
• Complex test configuration

Conclusion:

If you are into the test environment, hoping that this article helped you in the field of the test environment. The most important usage of the test environment is it enables testers to modify data without affecting any real-time information.

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