Tosca (software)

TOSCA Testsuite

Original author(s)	TRICENTIS Technology & Consulting
Developer(s)	TRICENTIS Technology & Consulting
Stable release	8.1 / October 2013 (2013-10)
Written in	C#, Java, VB6
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Available in	English, German
Type	Test automation
License	Proprietary commercial software
Website	www.tricentis.com

TOSCA Testsuite is a software tool for the automated execution of functional and regression software testing. In addition to test automation functions, TOSCA includes integrated test management, a graphical user interface (GUI), a command line interface (CLI) and an application programming interface (API). TOSCA Testsuite is developed by the Austrian software company TRICENTIS Technology & Consulting GmbH based in Vienna. In 2011, TOSCA was included in Gartner Inc.’s "Magic Quadrant for Integrated Software Quality Suites" report as a “visionary”.^[1]

2011–Based on the strength of the TOSCA product, TRICENTIS was included in Gartner Inc.’s "Magic Quadrant for Integrated Software Quality Suites" report as a “visionary”.^[2]

2011–TOSCA was recognized by the Ross Report ^[3] as the second most widely used software test automation tool in Australia and New Zealand.

2012–TRICENTIS gained further recognition by the scientific community when it was chosen to present at Euromicro SEAA and IEEE ICST,^[4] two prestigious international conferences, providing insights into the approach behind its breakthrough methodology Linear Q℠.

2012–The Association of Support Professionals (ASP) recognized TRICENTIS for one of "The Years Best Web Support Sites." ^[5] and the R.E.C.S.S. (Recognition of Excellence in Customer Support and Service) 2012 Award for customer support. TOSCA Testsuite is also the winner of the 2012 Best in Test Award.^[6]

Architecture

TOSCA is a test management, design, execution and data generation toolset for functional and regression tests.^[7] TOSCA Testsuite consists of the following:

• TOSCA Commander, the testsuite's execution tool, which is used to create, administer, execute and analyze test cases^[8]
• TOSCA Wizard, which builds a model of the application by storing the technical information XML-GUI Maps called modules^[9]
• TOSCA Executor, which executes the test cases and displays the results in TOSCA Commander
• TOSCA Exchange Portal, a portal where customers can use and exchange special modules, extensions and prebuilt TOSCA Commander components (subsets)
• The Test Repository, which includes integrated version control, stores all test assets and can be accessed by multiple users.
• With release 7.6, TOSCA introduced TOSCA TBox which has broader support for cross-browser testing that enables users to automate once, then run repeatedly across multiple browsers and other technologies; flexible XML-based data structure; smart business based recovery that detects and reports changes in business logic that could impact automation logic.

Functionality

Business dynamic steering: the concept behind TOSCA Commander is a model-driven approach to make "the entire test, and not just the input data, dynamic".^[9] Test cases are built by dragging and dropping modules and entering validation values and actions.^[7] The dynamization of the test is supposed to enable a business-based description of manual and automated test cases so test cases can be designed, specified, automated and maintained by non-technical users (SMEs).^[10]

The main features of Tosca Testsuite include the generation of dynamic, synthetic test data, highly automated business dynamic steering of test case generation and the unified handling and executing of manual and automated as well as GUI and non-GUI tests.^[11]

In addition, test cases can be weighted according to their importance in the smooth running of the business process. In this way, TOSCA provides detailed reporting, which shows the impact of existing technical weak points on the fulfillment of requirements. Fecher, for example, uses the test tool in new developments and application and database migration projects.^[12]

The following two limitations have been identified in comparison with other test automation solutions:

• No load or stress testing^[13]
• No Active-X components

Extensions

In addition to the basic software, there are the following extensions:

• Requirements: requirements are imported, exported, edited and administrated. The requirements are risk weighted and then linked to the test cases after test case design.
• TestCase-Design Workbench: defines, on the basis of the requirements, which test cases are needed to cover the specific test object and then generates test cases, employing all combinations: pairwise, orthogonal array and linear expansion.^[7][10]
• Reporting: test results are collected, analyzed and presented. Reports can be created using Crystal Reports or exported as a PDF or XML file.^[14]
• TOSCA Easy Entrance: creates reusable entities through drag and drop.
• User management: multi-user concept with integrated check-in and check-out mechanisms and versioning.
• WebAccess: TOSCA Testsuite provides remote access in real time through WebAccess.
• PDF comparison and bidirectional communication with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
• TOSCA Commander AddOn enables users to develop customized extensions for tight integration with Excel or ALM tools.
• Certified SAP Solution Manager Ready: integration of TOSCA Testsuite with SAP GUI for Windows and eCATT ^[15]

Supported technologies

The automation of software tests is supported for the following technologies:

• Programming languages and frameworks: Delphi, .NET including WPF, Java Swing/SWT/AWT, Visual Basic
• Application development environments: Gupta, PowerBuilder
• Web browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome
• Host applications in 3270, 5250
• Key application programs: SAP, Siebel
• Single-position application programs: Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel
• Hardware & protocols: USB execution, Flash, SOAP ( WebServices), ODBC

System environment

TOSCA Testsuite supports the following operating systems:

• Windows XP, SP 2 and above
• Windows Vista SP 2
• Windows 7 (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions)^[16]

The following databases are supported for multi-user operation:

• Microsoft®SQL Server 2008
• Oracle 11g
• DB2 v.9.1.

TRICENTIS Senior Managers

• Wolfgang Platz, Founder and Managing Director, has led TRICENTIS since he founded the company in 1997. Before founding TRICENTIS, he was a Senior Consultant at Cap Gemini Ernst and Young.
• Franz Fuchsberger, Managing Director, joined TRICENTIS in 2007 following a successful tenure as Managing Director of Compuware Austria and Eastern Europe, GmbH.
• Wolfgang Hollinger, Senior Manager, Product Development came to TRICENTIS from management positions at IBM and Rational Software.
• Michael Hentze, Professional Manager, Professional Services Organization came to TRICENTIS in 2005 to lead the Technical Implementation Department, bringing with him 20 years of experience in project management.
• Sandeep Johri, Chief Executive Officer, joined Tricentis in July 2013. ^[17]
• Ajay Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer joined Tricentis in July 2013. ^[18]
• Michael Eckhoff, Senior Vice President of WW Sales joined in Nov 2013. ^[19]

References in books and periodicals

• Die TOSCA-Testsuite von TRICENTIS. In: Harry M. Sneed, Manfred Baumgartner, Richard Seidl: Der Systemtest: Von den Anforderungen zum Qualitätsnachweis, Hanser, München 2009, ISBN 978-3-446-41708-3, p. 224–229.
• Edward Bishop: Changing tests weakens them. In: Professional Tester, September 2010, ISSN 1742-8742, S. 13–15. (Bishop was the editor-in-chief of the journal at the time of publication.)

References