Different levels of Software Interoperability
There are different levels of Interoperability Testing, they are
Physical Interoperability Data-type Interoperability Specification level Interoperability Semantic Interoperability
Why to do Interoperability Testing
Interoperability testing is done because,
It ensures end-to-end service provision across two or more products from different vendors The software product should be able to communicate with other component or device without any compatibility issues
The risk associated due to lack of Interoperability Testing are
Loss of data Unreliable performance Unreliable operation Incorrect operation Low maintainability
How to do Interoperability Testing
The testing process for Interoperability testing includes following steps Step 1: Launch Project.
Define formalize statement of work and set up project management infrastructure.
Step 2: Set up test lab
Make sure all required skill and automation tools are set up for test activities Use automation tools for minimizing test cases and re-use test cases Maintain a database of configuration files Record and analyze metrics for project Record configuration from unsuccessful tests for reference and analysis
Step 3: Develop test plan
Write the Test Plan Define the test cases and procedures Set up necessary monitoring equipment for maintaining test logs.
Step 4: Execute test plan
Execute test cases Work with test team to analyze root cause of failure
Step 5: Document Results
Use test logs to record the implementation notes
Step 6: Free up resources and evaluate performance on the project,
With the help of automation tools analyze the test results
Example Test Cases for Interoperability Testing
The testing strategy for Interoperability testing include
Connect two or more devices from different vendors Check connectivity between devices Check if device can send/receives packets or frames from each other Check if data is handled correctly in the network and facility layers Check if implemented algorithms work correctly Result ok: check next result Result not ok: Use monitor tools to detect source of error Report result in Test reporting tool.
Disadvantages of Interoperability Testing
The Disadvantages in Interoperability Testing are
Determining root causes of defects Accurate Measurement Scalability of testing Network complexity Testing the Test Equipment Documenting Test Results and Learnings Inadequate requirements
Interoperability Testing Vs Conformance Testing
Summary:
Software Engineering, Interoperability testing is nothing but to check whether software can inter-operate with another software component It ensures that software product should be able to communicate with other component or devices without any compatibility issues.
