Guide lines for Interoperability Testing

The interoperability test is one of the non-functional test types that ensures the interoperability of the software. The term “interoperability” could be heard by you, but if you are aware of the term. Many of us derive or interpret an incorrect sense of the word – interoperability. So before discussing the interoperability tests, first, we try to know the exact and exact meaning of the word interoperability.

What is interoperability?

In general, interoperability is the ability of a system to work and interact with other systems and applications. Interoperability can be defined as the ownership or ability of a system to provide and accept functionality from another system or application. Interoperability quality provides independence in interacting, sharing, and exchanging data and information with other systems, without interrupting intentional functionality.

Consider the example of the banking system. A bank application must interact, exchange and share data and information with the application of another bank or bank, but a different branch or a third party/seller of merchandise for financial and commercial transactions.

A user made a financial transaction with the XYZ bank of his account to transfer an amount of money to another ABC bank account. The banking applications of the two banks integrated with the interoperability features interact with each other independently without interrupting their intended operation, and share and exchange data and information such as account numbers, credentials, payee name , The bank branch, the IFSC code, the amount of money and other relevant information between them to perform the financial transaction / money transfer.

Now, what are interoperability tests?

Interoperability testing is a form of non-functional testing to achieve and maintain interoperability traits in the system. This form of testing is performed to ensure end-to-end functionality between two interactive systems based on their specified standards and protocols, regardless of the standard, protocols followed by two systems to perform their intended function, they interact independently to share And exchange data and information.

In addition, interoperability testing is used to verify and validate data loss, improper and unreliable operations and unreliable performance between the two systems.

How do I perform interoperability tests?

The interoperability tests can be carried out by the following steps in the following manner.

• Step 1: In the first step, appropriate planning and strategy should be defined and described. Planning and strategy involve understanding each application in the network, including the behavior, response, features and inputs taken, the generated output of each application. Thus, the application network must be considered as a single unit.
• Step 2: Implementation of certain approaches and techniques such as the Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) to map each requirement with that of the test and thereby eliminate the scope of any unvisited or left-out requirements. Test plans and test cases are derived and developed. In addition, an essential non-functional attribute of the network of applications such as security and performance must also be verified and validated before performing the interoperability tests.

Step 3: Run interoperability test cases with the following activities of fault recording, defect correction, test and regression tests after applying patches.

• Step 4: Assessment of test results against gtr, to ensure full coverage of requirements and no requirements have been left out.
• Step 5: Document and review the approaches, steps, and practices used in testing to further improve the testing process to achieve accurate and quality results.

What are the challenges in the application’s interoperability testing?

• Testing all applications generates a fair amount of possible combinations that are difficult to test.
• Differences between the environment in which the application is being developed and where it is installed may affect the test, in the event that one of the environments is decreasing.
• Different environmental issues also need a unique testing strategy to cover the needs and functionality of the environment.
• Applications will be networked, which will increase the complexity of the network would make the task of testing even more difficult.
• Analysis of root causes, if the fault is found.

Solutions to these challenges

• Testing techniques and approaches such as orthogonal array test (OATS) cause effect diagram, equivalence partitioning, VBA and other similar approaches can be beneficial in mapping requirements Independently of these to test cases in order to provide and ensure maximum test coverage.
• Pass past information and data to study and analyze the conditions under which the system breaks down or break down and to estimate the extent to which it is recovering from failure.
• Use the study outlined above to develop an appropriate plan and strategy.

Conclusion:

Interoperability testing is not an easy task to perform, but with appropriate planning and strategy as well as information, data, and experience gained from the past, interoperability testing ensures interoperability System to interact uninterrupted and independent with other systems and applications.