Virtualization

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Testing in Virtual Environments

Automated software testing is highly compatible with virtualization software like VMware®, VirtualBox®, Microsoft® Virtual PC™, Virtual Server™ and Hyper-V™. TestComplete, our automated testing tool, is designed to work with virtualization. Most other SmartBear products work well for testing or being deployed to virtual software.


LoadComplete and Virtualization

LoadComplete is a load and performance testing tool to measure how your Web application handles the load of hundreds and thousands of concurrent users. It replays realistic application usage scenarios and lets you monitor the performance and key infrastructure metrics in real time or in detailed reports to identify and pinpoint performance and resource issues.

LoadComplete is a desktop application that runs on Microsoft® Windows. It is compatible with all websites, including those hosted on virtual servers like VMware®, VirtualBox®, Xen®, and Microsoft® virtualization software. It is also compatible with Web applications running on cloud computing services like Amazon® EC2, Google® App Engine, Microsoft® Windows Azure, RackSpace® and others.

LoadComplete runs well on virtual machines (VMs), however performance and precision may be affected by other processes running on the same computer, since virtual machines are not able to control 100% of the host computer's resources. We recommend using LoadComplete on a physical PC for precise control of your load tests.

For tasks that do not need full control of the host PC like load test creation, debugging and training, LoadComplete performs well in virtual environments.

We strongly recommend using virtualization with the systems tested using LoadComplete.

Learn more and give LoadComplete a try.

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soapUI Pro and Virtualization

soapUI Pro is an easy to use, graphical desktop application that lets developers and testers build and run a wide variety of tests for REST and SOAP Web services.

It's a cross-platform Java desktop application so it runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. It's able to run under virtualization software such as VMware, VirtualBox, Xen, and Microsoft Virtual PC, Virtual Server and Hyper-V.

SoapUI Pro tests Web services running on any server including those hosted on virtual machines like VMware, VirtualBox, Xen, and Microsoft virtualization software. It is able to test REST and SOAP Web services running on cloud computing services like Amazon EC2, Google App Engine, Microsoft Windows Azure, RackSpace and others.

SoapUI Pro works well with all virtualized systems. It helps you test services on virtual servers and setup new users easily.

Learn more and give SoapUI Pro a try.

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Automated Testing and Virtualization

There are different types of virtualization, but testing and development is usually concerned with full virtualization. Let’s take a look at how SmartBear products work with full virtualization, starting with our automated functional testing tool, TestComplete.

TestComplete and Virtualization

TestComplete is an automated software testing tool that is highly compatible with virtualization software like VMware, VirtualBox, Microsoft Virtual PC, Virtual Server and Hyper-V.

TestComplete is a desktop application that runs on Microsoft Windows. It runs on virtual machines and can be used for test development and test execution. It can test other software and websites running on virtual computers.

Automated Testing and Virtualization. Automated testing software, like TestComplete, is well suited to take advantage of the benefits of virtualization.

Testing coverage and effectiveness goes way up with virtualization. A comprehensive test suite typically involves many different configurations of OSs, drivers, applications, settings and data. Virtual machines can be pre-configured with the various setups and made readily available for testing and experimentation. Compared to trying to do this with physical computers, using VMs makes it easy and cost-effective to vastly increase test coverage and catch more issues across a wider variety of systems and conditions.

Organizing and controlling banks of computers is a must when testing, and is much easier with virtualization. TestComplete can control VMware and other virtual machines so you can use it to automate virtual machines in the test environment. This requires a little upfront effort but it's a huge time saver for long term projects and frequently repeated tasks.

  • TestComplete can copy, launch, pause and stop virtual machines and servers.
  • TestComplete can configure, run and automate distributed tests across multiple virtual machines and servers.

Using TestComplete to control and automate virtual machines reduces your workload, makes your work environment more organized and makes it possible to manage more systems at the same time.

TestComplete floating user licenses allow TestComplete to be pre-installed, configured and distributed on virtual machines within a company. This helps IT with provisioning new PCs and creating systems for testing and training.

Issue reports and debugging are easier and more effective with access to the system state when the issue occurred.

Capturing this information with physical systems is impractical, inefficient and inadequate without virtualization. The reporter has to interrupt workflow, document the system state as well as possible and communicate the information to the tester or developer. It's impossible to know what information might be relevant and the report often involves sending many different files across the system.

Virtualization allows the issue reporter to take a snapshot of the complete VM system state and make it available when reporting a defect. This is a major communication upgrade for developers and testers. It makes it possible to solve challenging and complex defects much faster than without virtualization.

Finally, many testers and developers perform tests on their local desktop computers. This is useful and convenient but a full automated test takes over the system and it can't be used until the test has been completed.

Virtualization allows TestComplete and automated tests to be run in a window on the desktop and leave the system free for other work. Adding virtualization in this situation brings a big productivity boost.

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TestExecute and Virtualization

TestExecute is a companion to TestComplete. It's a lightweight, resource-friendly utility that can run any TestComplete test.

TestExecute is a practical, affordable way to scale TestComplete test runs up to a large, virtual test lab or for massive cloud tests. Develop tests using TestComplete, and pre-install TestExecute on virtual machines to run your tests standalone or as part of a distributed test, controlled by TestComplete.

TestExecute is a Windows desktop application and compatible with all virtual machines.

Reduce Costs and Expand Coverage with TestExecute. Increasing test coverage across complex systems involves running automated test tools on many different computers. Other software vendors charge you more for higher volume testing like this, but SmartBear reduces your costs with tools like TestExecute.

A free copy of TestExecute is included with TestComplete Enterprise. Additional licenses are low cost and very affordable, so it reduces the cost to use TestExecute on all virtual machines and servers involved with testing.

Recommendation

SmartBear strongly recommends using virtualization with TestComplete. If you are already running a virtualized shop, then TestComplete is a perfect match. Download the free trial and give it a try with your setup.

Learn more about TestComplete and Virtualization

SmartBear has a wide range of helpful articles, help topics and tips related to using TestComplete and TestExecute with virtualization software, like VMware. Read more here.

Learn more about TestComplete.

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