The Test Plan for Applications
You must test your applications with the new version of Actian X before performing a production upgrade. The cost of testing every function in every application can be prohibitive, but fortunately, such testing is rarely necessary. A proper test plan can reduce testing time to a week or two.
A successful test plan uses the following process:
1. Rank the importance of each function in each application.
2. Test only the most important functions of each application.
3. Fix problems found after the upgrade as quickly as possible.
Categories of Application Functions
When determining the importance of an application function, ask “How long can we live without this function?” One successful testing approach divides application functions into three categories, as follows:
• Functions that are business critical and must be operational immediately after the upgrade. No delay is permitted. Examples may include customer order entry, shipping, and production order release functions.
Functions in this category must be tested thoroughly.
• Functions that are important, but the business can survive their loss for a few hours after the upgrade. Examples may include most inquiries and accounting functions, and high-visibility management reports, especially if management is made aware of the possibility of a one-time delay.
Functions in this category should be tested as time and resources permit.
• Functions that can be broken for a day or two without serious impact. Examples may include reports, analysis functions, and end-of-period routines.
Functions in this category can typically be spot checked.
Application Debugging After the Upgrade
If you properly execute your test plan, all critical functions will work after the upgrade. Less critical functions, however, may contain bugs. Be prepared to fix these bugs for a period after the upgrade. (Two weeks is usually long enough.) During this time, avoid scheduling new feature development. Have streamlined change control procedures ready, so that fixes can be installed quickly if a problem occurs.
Last modified date: 04/03/2024