Before delving into mainframe testing, let’s explain first what a mainframe is. A mainframe is a high-performance, high-speed computer system. Mainframes are typically used for large-scale computing processes that require performance, reliability, and a high level of security, such as in the finance, insurance, and healthcare industries.
Mainframe testing is the process of testing software services and applications that are based on mainframe systems. It is critical for application development, in order to control costs and development quality. The goal of testing the mainframe is to ensure the performance, reliability, and quality of the application or service.
Mainframe testing tools refer to elements used in testing a large organization’s mainframe systems. Mainframe testing is also related to web-based testing. PeerSpot users test mainframe applications using “job batches” against test cases developed using specific metrics.
A deployed code is applied in the process of mainframe testing and is usually carried utilizing a number of data combinations set into an input file. In order to maximize time, productivity and system health, applications that exist on the mainframe are accessed using a terminal emulator - stand-alone software installed on a client’s machine.
Mainframe testing tools should deliver support to observe the entire software cycle, and distributed systems, resulting in potential actionable data, monitoring, and documenting the agility of system integration and functionality. PeerSpot user experts require proven authorization, authentication, integrity, confidentiality and availability.
There are constant, new apps living on a mainframe’s data/logic, which need reliable integration with distributed SLM tools. PeerSpot IT key opinion leaders search for the best tools that integrate SLM and testing. Users will look for the relationship between debugging, test-data generators, performance management, release management, and all related tools necessary to build an organization’s software.
Overall, mainframe testers need data interaction analysis in building an integrated suite to build and then run the always-evolving ideal software configuration. This is needed because mainframe testing is most visibly used in critical areas such as insurance, finance, retail and government, where enormous amounts of data are constantly processed.
In order to achieve the best integrative technical support, developers will prepare a plan to modify a process or specific part of a release cycle. Once documents are received, the team will assess how the mainframe testing will affect existing processes. Different pieces of the testing will require customization and others will apply to out-of- box functionality. Thus, the two parts – mainframe testing requirements and mainframe testing integration - will offer a picture of overall enterprise software integrity. Instituting the mainframe testing process adds continuing value and ROI to PeerSpot IT and DevOps professionals.
With the world driving toward digital transformation, companies need to stay competitive while keeping costs under control. All of this while giving a world-class user experience and beating the competitors to market. This is easier said than done for most organizations, and even more difficult for businesses using mainframes because of outdated processes for testing the systems.
Heavily regulated industries like banking, financial services, insurance, and healthcare still use mainframes. Why? Here are some reasons:
Testing is an essential part of mainframe efficiency. The problem is that today’s business environments move significantly faster than traditional mainframe development and testing can keep up with. That’s because, for the most part, mainframe testing is still performed manually. Therefore, to meet the current demand to deliver higher quality at a rapid speed, mainframe testing needs to adopt test automation.
Now is the time to implement continuous testing on the mainframe so you can shift left, testing earlier and often before sending the application into production, thus ensuring the performance of your applications. A way to do this efficiently is to use mainframe testing tools.
Traditional manual mainframe testing involves testing job batches against the test cases developed. It is usually performed in deployed code. The deployed code is applied and tested using combinations set into an input file. Testers access mainframe applications by using a terminal emulator on a client’s machine. By conducting mainframe testing, you are ensuring that the system or application is ready to market.
The process starts by determining how a specific process will be modified in the release cycle. The testing team receives a document with the requirements and defines how many processes the change will affect. The percentage can usually range between 20 to 25% of the application.
Next, the mainframe application is tested in two general stages:
There are several steps to follow for mainframe testing:
Integrating the right testing tools can save time, prevent human error, and produce faster and more accurate test results than manual testing. Since testers don’t need to spend hours in manual processes, they have time to improve the tests. Therefore, it creates a cycle of test quality improvement.
Some of the benefits of integrating mainframe testing tools are:
The benefits of using test automation are clear. Still, integrating test automation can be a challenge. Choosing the right mainframe testing tools and the right platform is essential for a successful transition.
Some key elements for a mainframe testing tool include:
