There are several components of traditional application testing
that can be used in the web testing process because of best practices along
with the probability that traditional systems may be supporting the web system
in the background. Some of the
components of traditional testing that can be used in Web testing include checking
its function and performance in regards to accessibility and reliability.
In testing of Web systems, one has to check functionality
using all browser variants to ensure consistency in its display and navigation
across the various platforms. Due to the
nature of Web systems, there is also the issue of network infrastructure
capacity and compatibility which would have an impact on both functionality and
performance. As an example, if the Web
system includes audio or video feeds, then there will be a requirement for
quality of service (QOS) functionality within the network infrastructure
equipment and the ability to appropriately burst bandwidth allowances when
required due to traffic loads. Without
QOS functionality in these areas, the Web system may not function as designed from
the end user perspective, because the multimedia stream is subjected to jitter,
latency, or both. In traditional systems
these concerns were limited to the constraints of the CPU, memory and other
internal hardware components. Although
this example walks a fine line between functionality and performance, sometimes
the difference between them is only a matter of perspective.
One type of testing that if overlooked that could have a
detrimental effect on functionality and performance is security testing. Although security testing is occasionally
performed, depending on the particular design, in a traditional systems
environment, it should be mandatory for Web systems due to the effects on
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of these customer facing and
back-end systems. An attacker could find
a way to take control of the administration, performance, and functionality of a
Web system. One small example would be having
a website defaced…it would be a public embarrassment to any business and even
more troubling if it causes a loss of income due to customer loss of confidence
in the organization.
The complexity and criticality of Web systems absolutely
requires due diligence in the exercise of its testing and that has been the
inspiration to adapt traditional testing techniques and go several steps
further. |
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Written by Claudio LoCicero, M.S.
Over his career he has held several technical and management
positions both in the United
States and overseas within the private and
government sectors. Claudio LoCicero
holds a Master of Science in Information Technology with an Information
Security Specialization. He also holds
numerous professional certifications such as the PMP, CISM, CISSP, ITILF, along
with several certifications from Cisco, Microsoft, and the NSA.
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