Effective Methods for Software Testing, Third Edition

Chapter 19. Testing in a Multiplatform Environment

Software designed to run on more than one platform must undergo two tests. The first test is to validate that the software performs its intended functions. This testing involves the seven-step testing process described in Part Three of this book. The second test is that the software will perform in the same manner regardless of the platform on which it is executed. This chapter focuses on the second test process.

This chapter provides a six-task process for testing in a multiplatform environment. The test process presumes that the platforms for which the software must execute are known. The process also presumes that the software has already been tested and that testers have validated that it performs its intended functions correctly.

Overview

Each platform on which software is designed to execute operationally may have slightly different characteristics. These distinct characteristics include various operating systems, hardware configurations, operating instructions, and supporting software, such as database management systems. These different characteristics may or may not cause the software to perform its intended functions differently. The objective of testing is to determine whether the software will produce the correct results on various platforms.

Objective

The objective of this six-task process is to validate that a single software package executed on different platforms will produce the same results. The test process is basically ...