Test Scheduling Basics FAQ

The new Test Scheduling and Remote Execution feature we added with the Q3 release is a powerful addition to our Automated Testing Tools offering. The feature pushes WebUI Test Studio into multi-machine execution and enables customers to leverage the physical & virtualized environments to schedule and execute test runs. You can also collect results across this distributed environment into a centralized repository. This feature makes WebUI more appealing to large enterprises with larger test labs and machine pools.

With this blog post I’m sharing all the basics of the feature in the form of FAQ. In addition I will also dedicate some posts soon to describe the test scheduling setup in details. Also we’re working on a few videos going through that functionality that will be posted soon on Telerik TV.

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Q: What do I need/configure to get this running?

A: Here are the machine roles in this distribution environment:

- A machine to operate as a Scheduling Server.

- Any machine(s) to execute tests on. We call them “execution servers”.

- A machine with QA Edition installed to schedule TestLists for execution.

Q: What are the requirements to use that?

A: You need WebUI Test Studio Execution/Run-Time Edition or above (Dev or QA) to be able to setup a machine as scheduling server and for remote execution. Take a look at the purchase page if you need more info about the WebUI Editions and prices.

The only new requirement is related to the database the Scheduling Server operates over. We support MS SQL for now (Express and Server) and could expand our database type support further on demand.

Q: So the Scheduling Server needs database. Can I configure the server to use a DB on remote machine?

A: Sure, we support that. You can have the SQL Server installed on machine A, the Scheduling Server configured on B to use the DB on A and execute the tests on as many other machines as needed. The execution servers send the results back to the scheduling server that requested execution and the latter persist them in the SQL database to be retrieved when needed.

Q: Can I schedule TestList for execution with some recurring pattern, e.g. every night at specific time from Monday to Friday?

A: Yes, we support recurring schedules too. There are number of supported patterns so that everyone should be able to schedule the tests for execution as per their requirements.

Q: Does this feature include automatic sending of emails with the summary of the test result?

A: Yes, you can configure the Scheduling Server to connect and use an SMTP server. Then per scheduling test list you can add the recipient(s) email to send the run result to. We also provide the option to send emails conditionally, e.g. whether to get email when the tests complete, on test failure and more.

Q: Can I schedule tests for execution nightly on my local machine?

A: No problem with that too. The WebUI Test Studio QA Edition distribution includes everything you need. Once installed you can configure it as a Scheduling Server, register the local machine for execution as well as connect your project to the same server and schedule test list(s) for execution locally.

Q: What are the steps in configuring my scheduling tests/remote execution environment?

A: Here are the steps briefly. As mentioned the next blog posts will describe all these in details. The videos will be helpful too.

1. Configure the Scheduling Server.

Any machine with Execution/Run-time license, a machine with Dev or QA Edition installed can handle that. Look for a “Configure as Scheduling Server” shortcut in the start menu under the Execution Edition group. This will open for you a standalone application to setup the server.

2. Register/connect machines for execution.

Having Execution/Run-time license or above, start the execution server setup (look for a “Configure as Execution Server” option from the Execution start menu). You will get an application providing the ability to register this machine/connect it to a scheduling server.

3. Connect your project to the Scheduling Server.

Look for a “Connect to Server” button/option in the ResultsView of WebUI Test Studio QA Edition. You need to connect to the machine running the Scheduling Server as well as point to the shared folder (in the network for remote execution) containing the test project.

4. Schedule TestList for execution.

Again the QA Edition’s ResultView exposes the needed button/command. Click the “Schedule TestList” button to get the wizard that will allow you to schedule specific TestList, setup start date/time, choose the machines to execute on and in addition configure to get emails about the test result if you want to.

Also make sure you are familiar with the TestList Management in WebUI Test Studio QA Edition as well as The Power of the Dynamic TestLists there too.

I hope you find the new features helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us to share your feedback!

Thanks,

-Konstantin