Operational acceptance testing: Difference between revisions

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[[File:US Navy 070804-N-1745W-122 A Sailor assigned to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) tests an aircraft jet engine for defects while performing Jet Engine Test Instrumentation, (JETI) Certification-Engine Runs.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Operational testing a jet engine]]

'''Operational acceptance testing (OAT)''' is used to conduct operational readiness (pre-release) of a product, service or system as part of a [[quality management system]]. OAT is a common type of non-functional [[software testing]], used mainly in software support and [[software maintenance]] projects. This type of testing focuses on the [[operational readiness]] of the system to be supported, or which is to become the production environment. Hence, it is also known as '''operational readiness testing''' (ORT). [[Functional testing]] of applications is not to be included or merged in OAT.

According to the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), OAT may include checking the [[backup]]/restore facilities, IT [[disaster recovery]] procedures, maintenance tasks and and periodic check of security vulnerabilities. <ref>ITSQB http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-acceptance-testing/</ref>, and a White Paper on ISO 25000 and Operational Acceptance Testing by Dirk Dach et al, OAT generally includes:<ref>White Paper: Operational Acceptance Testing, Business Continuity Assurance. December 2012 Dirk Dach, Dr Kai-Uwe Gawlik, Mark Mevert</ref>

It may include checking the [[backup]] facilities, maintenance and [[disaster recovery]] procedures. In OAT changes are made to environmental parameters which the application uses to run smoothly. For example, with [[Microsoft Windows]] applications with a mixed or hybrid architecture, this may include: [[Windows service]]s, [[configuration file]]s, [[web services]], [[XML]] files, [[COM+]] components, web services, [[Internet Information Services|IIS]], stored procedures in databases, etc. Typically OAT occurs after [[user acceptance testing]] (UAT), it is a final verification before a system is released.

* Maintainability

The approach used in OAT includes these steps:

* IT Service Management (Supportability)

* Installation and Backout

:* Component fail-overTesting

* Performance, Stress and Volume,

* Security and Penetration

* Backup and Restoration

* Failover (Within the same data centre)

:* NetworkComponent fail-over

:* Network fail-over

* Recovery (across data centres)

:* Data recovery

:* Application/system recovery

* Alerting/alarmingMonitoring and Alerts (to ensure proper alerts are configured in the system if something goes wrong)

It may include checking the [[backup]] facilities, maintenance and [[disaster recovery]] procedures. InDuring OAT changes aremay be made to environmental parameters which the application uses to run smoothly. For example, with [[Microsoft Windows]] applications with a mixed or hybrid architecture, this may include: [[Windows service]]s, [[configuration file]]s, [[web services]], [[XML]] files, [[COM+]] components, web services, [[Internet Information Services|IIS]], stored procedures in databases, etc. Typically OAT occurs after [[user acceptance testing]] (UAT), it is a final verification before a system is released.

TheAn approach used in OAT includes these steps:

* Build the system,

* Deploy the application,

* Maintainability and Supportability of the system.

* Validate the backup procedureand setuprecovery procedures for the system

For running the OAT [[test case]]s, the tester normally has exclusive access to the system or environment. This means that a single tester would be executing the test cases at a single point of time. For OAT the exact OR quality gates are defined, both entry and exit gate. All activities are listed which would be part and covered in the different phases of testing, with primary emphasis be on the operational part of the system.

Then checks are made on how the application is behaving, and moreover how the system is behaving as a whole in these conditions. Backup procedures are also checked to ensure proper operation under emergency conditions.

<b>References</b>

For running the OAT [[test case]]s, the tester normally has exclusive access to the system or environment. This means that a single tester would be executing the test cases at a single point of time. For OAT the exact OR quality gates are defined, both entry and exit gate. All activities are listed which would be part and covered in the different phases of testing, with primary emphasis be on the operational part of the system.

There are various aspects of OAT –

* Fail over testing (resilience testing within the same data centre)

:* Component fail-over

:* Network fail-over

* Alerting/alarming (to ensure proper alerts are configured in the system if something goes wrong)

* Backup and recovery testing – to ensure that backup and recovery is successful

[[Category:Software testing]]

{{reflist}}