SAS 006 – Testing 123

Today’s Show: Testing 123 Developing good testing practices is important Computer hardware/software testing Backup restore testing Documentation & process testing Patch testing OS Application The basics Pre-test, validate current state What works, what doesn’t Partner with business community if needed Build test environment Useful for more complicated or critical systems Virtualization has made this easy Pre-test the development environment, does it match production? Take notes on the steps you take, so you know what to expect during the production upgrade Verify backups Have a fail back plan Outline situations when it would be needed Post-testing Does system functionality match the pre-test? Use acceptance test required? Testing process Be as thorough as time allows based on upgrade scope and system importance How much time & money will an outage cost you? Don’t assume anything Even the smallest detail can have a significant effect on the outcome How many people are required? What equipment is required? Phones Printers Computers/Servers Time required? Final Thoughts Good testing habits will save you time, money and embarrassment Resist the urge to just get it done It’s better to do it right then to get home 10 minutes earlier.  Otherwise you might be driving back into work to fix it.  Testing decreases this temptation because you can use your notes as a checklist