How does a client/server environment affect testin
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Printed Date: 31May2024 at 6:31am
Topic: How does a client/server environment affect testin
Posted By: Pratima
Subject: How does a client/server environment affect testin
Date Posted: 22Feb2007 at 5:00pm
Client/server applications can be quite complex due to
the multiple dependencies among clients, data communications,
hardware, and servers, especially in multi-tier systems.
Thus testing requirements can be extensive. When
time is limited (as it usually is) the focus should
be on integration and system testing. Additionally,
load/stress/performance testing may be useful in determining
client/server application limitations and capabilities.
There are commercial tools to assist with such testing.
Web sites are essentially client/server applications -
with web servers and 'browser' clients.
Consideration should be given to the interactions between
html pages, TCP/IP communications, Internet connections,
firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such
as applets, javascript, plug-in applications), and
applications that run on the server side (such as cgi
scripts, database interfaces, logging applications,
dynamic page generators, asp, etc.). Additionally, there are
a wide variety of servers and browsers, various
versions of each, small but sometimes significant
differences between them, variations in connection
speeds, rapidly changing technologies, and multiple
standards and protocols. The end result is that
testing for web sites can become a major ongoing effort.
Other considerations might include:
- What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of
hits per unit time?), and what kind of performance is
required under such loads (such as web server response time,
database query response times). What kinds of tools will
be needed for performance testing (such as web load testing tools,
other tools already in house that can be adapted, web robot
downloading tools, etc.)?
- Who is the target audience? What kind of browsers will they be using?
What kind of connection speeds will they by using? Are they intra-
organization (thus with likely high connection speeds and similar
browsers) or Internet-wide (thus with a wide variety of connection
speeds and browser types)?
- What kind of performance is expected on the client side (e.g.,
how fast should pages appear, how fast should animations, applets, etc.
load and run)?
- Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be
allowed? how much?
- What kinds of security (firewalls, encryptions, passwords, etc.) will
be required and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?
- How reliable are the site's Internet connections required to be?
And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection
requirements and testing?
- What processes will be required to manage updates to the web site's
content, and what are the requirements for maintaining, tracking,
and controlling page content, graphics, links, etc.?
- Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly? What
variations will be allowed for targeted browsers?
- Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance
and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??
- How will internal and external links be validated and
updated? how often?
- Can testing be done on the production system, or will a
separate test system be required? How are browser caching,
variations in browser option settings, dial-up connection
variabilities, and real-world internet 'traffic congestion'
problems to be accounted for in testing?
- How extensive or customized are the server logging and
reporting requirements; are they considered an integral part of
the system and do they require testing?
- How are cgi programs, applets, javascripts, ActiveX components,
etc. to be maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?
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