Dun & Bradstreet

SmartBear recently interviewed John Caiafa, a Solution Architect-Financial Services for Dun & Bradstreet, on the company’s use of SmartBear ReadyAPI Test.

With an easy-to-use graphical interface and enterprise-class features, ReadyAPI Test allows D&B developers to rapidly create and execute automated Web services and load tests. In a single test environment, ReadyAPI Test provides D&B with complete test coverage and supports all standard protocols and technologies.

What solution did you previously use for API testing and why did you choose to rely on ReadyAPI Test?

We did not have a formal tool in place and considered two other tools as a conduit to our APIs. But they were cumbersome to work with and required too much time to complete the prototyping tasks. They also did not facilitate customer demonstrations the way we wanted That’s when we realized we needed something more intuitive and user-friendly.

We started with the free version of SoapUI, and based on its slick interface, we upgraded to the Pro version for enhanced functionality. ReadyAPI Test provides all the capabilities we need, and the product is well-supported with documentation and technical support. ReadyAPI Test also provides an intuitive view of complex business solutions, which allows us to clearly communicate the value of our integration products and services.

This ability is important because we spend a fair amount of time educating clients on how to use protocols. When conducting demonstrations, the APIs need to be client-facing, and the ReadyAPI Test interface gives us confidence in using the tool in front of clients while demonstrating our specific functionality.

Other products offer some of the capabilities we need, but none provide such a well-rounded set of services as is the case with ReadyAPI Test.

What role does ReadyAPI Test play in your operations?

We leverage ReadyAPI Test to develop API prototypes and demonstrate them to clients for two D&B Direct services. This includes our Sales & Marketing tool that helps clients learn more about their business partners and find new business connections. ReadyAPI Test also assists with our Supply Management tool, which helps analyze supplier performance and certify suppliers. These API products support features and functionality that allow us to tailor solutions to meet specific client needs. ReadyAPI Test is the conduit to these custom solutions and allows our internal team to efficiently support both pre- and post-sales activities.

What specific functions does ReadyAPI Test fulfill?

ReadyAPI Test helps us impress clients by allowing our API demonstrations to run more smoothly. We can also more quickly build API prototypes. The software is particularly helpful for research and development in support of inte-grated solutions that use our API products.

ReadyAPI Test plays a crucial role for us because our website is actually a workbench environment for our clients to facili-tate access to the APIs underlying the Sales & Marketing and Supply Management products. Although some of our APIs offer standard functionality, we can make them more robust with the capabilities that ReadyAPI Test enables.

Does ReadyAPI Test also help from a programming perspective?

Yes—our internal team develops prototype applications (stub code) used as starting points for clients that then tailor the applications to the way they need the APIs to function in their environment. There are also situations where clients tell us an API is acting differently from what they expected, or they need the API to do something new. We then customize SoapUI to replicate the environment and build a prototype with the necessary adjustments.

How often does your development team use ReadyAPI Test?

We use ReadyAPI Test on a daily basis to define design-level specs for each client and help them with the implementation. Much of this work involves demonstrating the specific functionality offered through the APIs. ReadyAPI Test makes it possible to deliver demonstrations that are easy for clients to follow.

How do you measure the ROI D&B has received from ReadyAPI Test?

Our success with D&B Direct is ultimately measured by the sales and implementation of our API products, so the justification for ReadyAPI Test has been proven by our revenue numbers. We used ReadyAPI Test for all of 2012 and generated approximately $10 million in revenue, which for a new product launched in late 2011 is a solid number. At lot of that has to do with the technologies our protocols make available and demonstrating the new integration goes a long way towards bringing in new business. With our new tools, there are so many new features associated with the APIs that to solely rely on the workbench would not make sense. We thus need to demo the features, and we need to rapidly develop prototypes following the demos. SoapUI plays a key role in helping us achieve both objectives.

Measurable Results

• Generates new business through easy-to-follow client API demonstrations
• Allows for faster API prototype changes in reaction to client requests
• Contributes directly to business unit revenue goals

Business Challeneges

• Facilitates API client demonstrations
• Enables rapid API prototype development
• Eliminates need for creating user interfaces

SmartBear ReadyAPI Test Solution

• Provides easy-to-use, intuitive graphical interface
• Enables rapid creation and execution of API protocol tests
• Integrates with WSDL so developers can bypass user interface creation