Requirements

The "cloud" is the new kid on the block. So, how exactly does testing cloud-based applications differ from testing traditional applications? Do you have the right mindset and processes in place today to build and test high quality cloud-based applications? Charles Sterling answers these questions as he takes you on a journey to demystify the application lifecycle for cloud-based applications. He explains that you need a different mindset and a new set of processes and tools at each stage of the project cycle-planning, execution, release, and monitoring-to deliver high quality cloud-based applications. Based on his team's experience of building cloud services, Charles shares two specific examples-continuous integration and performance testing. Using these examples, he highlights the salient points of testing cloud-based applications and contrasts them with testing in the traditional world.

Mobile applications enable millions of users to have more fun, be more productive, and interact with their world in more ways than ever before. Mobile architectures run the gamut from simple web-based applications optimized for mobile displays to custom-built handset-specific applications that can interact directly with the mobile operating system. This diversity of architectures presents a huge challenge to ensure that applications meet security requirements, such as confidentiality and integrity. Targeted at beginners in the mobile development space, Scott Matsumoto introduces the basics of mobile applications-deployment, digital rights management, and the cellular network-and then addresses popular security attack vectors that hackers exploit. Scott explores the mobile threat model you must consider when developing mobile business applications.

As software development teams seek greater efficiency and effectiveness, they often find that they are held back by old IT architecture for development and test. They wrestle with low-powered servers, difficult-to-scale static environments, and a slow IT provisioning and change processes. Today, software leaders at Calypso, Centric Group, Serena Software, and others have radically changed the way they build, test, and deploy software-almost exclusively using cloud computing to power their development processes. Some teams report benefits of 75% faster development cycles with 70% lower operating costs. Brian White describes the techniques and practices employed and success factors you can follow to achieve similar results. Brian provides specifics on which application workloads are ideal for the cloud model and how the use of cloud computing supports Agile development practices.

Almost daily, we see reports of software failures that harm enterprises and impact the brand, putting testing organizations and their efforts in the spotlight. Fortunately, testers are now in one of the most exciting times in the software industry’s history!