Cloud Testing Is More Critical Than Ever
With unprecedented lockdowns around the world due to COVID-19, organizations were forced to go digital. And they had to do it virtually overnight.
All businesses now need to think digital moving forward. Business is going almost entirely online, and that means it’s critical your web and mobile apps are ready to perform.
Now, more than ever before, cloud testing can help globally-dispersed teams collaborate and streamline their development and testing processes. Here’s why.
What Is Cloud Testing?
Cloud testing is a form of software testing. It allows teams to test their apps on devices and browsers in the cloud infrastructure.
Why You Need a Testing Cloud
A testing cloud allows teams to access not only the devices they need, but also the servers that manage the devices, their streaming capabilities, and their functionality, as well as the network architecture needed for secure mobile and web app testing.
7 Benefits of Cloud Testing
Here are some of the larger benefits of cloud testing.
1. Access It Anytime, From Anywhere
Teams are becoming more distributed — working from offices and homes around the world. These teams need to be able to collaborate and simultaneously work on the same code at the same time. They also need the tools to manage the process through development, testing, deployment, and beyond.
The beauty of a testing cloud is that it can be accessed from anywhere in the world at any given time. This is ideal for globally-dispersed teams, which is commonplace for leading digital enterprises. It is also incredibly convenient for teams working remotely. Teams can work together in real-time with a testing cloud, removing the delay of waiting.
2. Scale Testing Like Never Before
For enterprise-grade scalability, you need a testing cloud. To keep up with all the test permutations you’ll need to cover, cloud testing is your best option. That’s because the capacity of a test cloud is virtually unlimited. It’s a much better choice than an on-prem or DIY solution, which requires a lot of maintenance to scale.
For example, scaling a Selenium Grid monthly to keep up with new releases is close to impossible. It’s expensive and delays test executions. On top of that, it’s oftentimes flakey and unreliable. Scaling a grid with hundreds of test permutations is much more difficult to do for an on-prem solution.
3. Extend Test Coverage
Cloud testing can improve your test coverage. In order to ensure your app performs across all platforms in all conditions, it’s critical to include a mix of devices and OS versions to cover all of your app’s functionalities.
Keep in mind that optimal testing includes mobile devices, web browsers, operating systems, multiple test types, optimized test timing, and attention to the overall execution window.
Not only will a testing cloud give you access to the devices and browsers you need to test against, but you will also get the test automation scenario coverage you need. By replicating as closely as possible your user’s journey as they interact with your app, you’ll ensure a top notch user experience.
Watch our on-demand webinar: Why Mobile & Web Testing MUST Move to the Cloud
4. Apply Real User Conditions
On-prem solutions can be limiting for your testing strategy. Teams can face environmental restrictions, such as Wi-Fi availability. They also get bogged down with the upkeep of testing infrastructure and hardware maintenance.
On the other hand, a cloud-based solution opens the doors of possibility. Teams can test like their users, applying real user simulation for more targeted testing. In a testing cloud, you can apply real user conditions such as:
- Location
- Preferred devices
- Network coverage
- Other apps running in the background
- Degraded network conditions
- Conflicting apps
- Call and text interruptions
5. Instantly Access New Releases
If you have a DIY or on-prem solution, keeping up with new releases will be very difficult. A member of your team may have to physically wait in line outside of a retail store to obtain a new device on release day.
Cloud testing solutions have a better approach here. Many testing clouds, such as Perfecto, have relationships with carriers. This means that new devices and OSes are available to you for testing immediately upon release.
That means that your test coverage will not miss a beat with new releases. You can test across multiple versions, devices, and in multiple use case scenarios instantaneously.
6. Improve Your Security
Cloud testing is more secure than an on-prem or DIY solution. With a private testing cloud, which has dedicated devices connected via a specific wireless access point, your working environment is secure and private to those outside the network.
Cloud testing can even meet the strictest security and compliance regulations. For example, Perfecto is able to work with the world’s leading financial institutions because it holds a number of critical security certifications, including PCI, SOC II, ISO 27001, and GDPR.
7. Get Faster Feedback
Test failure analysis is critical to fully realizing value from testing. Fortunately, a benefit of cloud test automation is that many solutions come with built-in analytics.
Cloud-based analytics are built to handle a high-volume of daily test data, which is ideal for digital enterprises. Test reporting gives teams visibility into what went wrong. Fast feedback accelerates potential delays and helps defects get fixed more quickly.
5 Examples of What You Can Do With Cloud Testing
1. Deploy Apps on Remote Devices/Browsers
Developers need to easily install new builds on target devices in the cloud. It’s simple to do this remotely with a cloud-based solution.
2. Simulate GPS for Location-Based Apps
GPS testing is critical for location-based apps. Cloud testing allows teams to test the functionality of location-based apps, ensuring optimal availability to end users.
3. Work Remotely With a Device’s File System
Because many apps rely on file systems, such as media files, images, and audio, it’s important that teams can easily access them. Cloud-based testing allows developers to access a device’s files remotely so they can compare them against app requirements.
4. Get Rich Artifacts From Tests
Understanding why tests fail is critical. Receiving rich artifacts with your test results can help teams fix defects more quickly. Media feedback, such as images, screen shots, or video, provide testers with valuable information on test failures.
5. See Device Logs & Vitals
It’s important for teams to get visibility into an app’s memory consumption or the CPU status, which show what the user experiences while using the app. Fortunately, cloud-based testing can provide device logs and vitals throughout the testing process.
Now’s the Time for Cloud Testing
Digital channels have never been more critical to business. You need to ensure yours are ready to serve your customers.
With cloud testing, you can execute the amount of tests needed for improved test coverage. Because of advanced testing and user simulation, you can get better quality testing, shorter time-to-market, and an overall reduction in costs.
We discuss all of these benefits and more in our webinar, Why Mobile & Web Testing MUST Move to the Cloud.
Cloud testing is a game changer for web and mobile apps. Give it a try. Start your free Perfecto trial for manual and automated testing in the cloud. Access leading mobile devices and web browsers in the Perfecto test cloud. And seamlessly integrate with the rest of your test automation toolchain.
