User interfaces

User interfaces

SwiftTest Development Suite

Our user interfaces are made up of two components that provide the ultimate flexibility for test setup, execution, and reporting:

  1. Test Development Environment (TDE) is a graphical interface that enables fast test configuration including:
    • Sample tests and wizards
    • Content Libraries
    • Extensive built-in reports that are updated dynamically during testing
  2. Test Automation Framework (TAF) Provides maximum flexibility when configuring tests

“One of the biggest benefits of using SwiftTest is the efficiency. For a single test case, we realize a 10x improvement — 10–15 minutes compared to a half day or more.”
— John Bothe, Chief Architect, Exinda

The SwiftTest Test Development Environment (TDE) is a graphical software application that allows users to configure, run, and analyze tests that run on the supported SwiftTest platforms and create tests that can be executed under scripting control via the SwiftTest Test Automation Framework (TAF). All protocol suites are available within the TDE and the TAF.

Test Development Environment (TDE)

The SwiftTest TDE is the primary user interface for the SwiftTest platforms. The application includes sample tests and wizards and built-in statistics and graphs. Through the TDE, client and servers can be emulated at scale for HTTP, SMB, NFS, iSCSI and FC protocols.

Emulate Hosts and Networks with Network Profiles

A TDE project consists of one or more logical interfaces that can be configured through network profiles. Network profiles can emulate large numbers of hosts or network elements defined by IPv4/v6 addresses, MAC addresses, VLAN tags and TCP settings.

Flexible Test Modeling with Test Scenarios and Control Actions

Test scenarios allow protocol behaviors and sequences to be modeled on top of network profiles. Test scenarios can operate independently on the same physical interface or they can be synchronized using control events. Each test scenario can be configured with low-level command sequences available through protocol suites and control actions. Control actions allow the test engineer to insert loops within the tests, influence test timing by inserting delays into scenario execution paths, and advancing or resetting the next element pointer for user parameter files.

User Parameter Files and Functions for Realism

User parameter files hold values that can be delivered to the input fields of SwiftTest commands while those commands are executing. This capability allows a test engineer to create test templates that are provided with the information needed to operate at run time. Thus, a single template can be used to simulate variable numbers of unique users or create variable numbers of unique files or directories. Functions can also be used in place of constant values to randomize or control the values used within commands.

Figure. The SwiftTest TDE is a graphical user interface for SwiftTest appliances that enables fast test configuration.

Per Command and Aggregate Statistics/Graphs

  • Raw network bandwidth statistics
  • TCP statistics including connection setup times and throughput
  • Per protocol and command counters and graphs
  • Extensive built-in reports and sample real-time reports
  • CSV result export
  • All statistics are automatically saved in CSV files for post-test analysis

Inline Capture Facilities

The TDE supports capture and decode of incoming and outgoing traffic from physical interfaces to pinpoint network and protocol issues. The capture facility supports circular and fill once options to trace issues before or after protocol events occur.

Software Specifications

  • Graphical application based on .NET
  • Runs on a customer-supplied workstation running Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista® or Windows XP®
  • Includes sample tests and wizards
  • Graphical UI enables fast parameters change, such as number of users
  • Toolbox includes drag-and-drop lists of commands and actions
  • Automatically-created XML configuration files can be executed directly or modified by any scripting language
  • XML configuration files can be created from scratch

Test Automation Framework (TAF)

The SwiftTest TAF is an advanced interface that provides maximum flexibility for setting up and running tests. All configuration options available in the TDE are also available in the SwiftTest TAF. The TAF uses an XML configuration file that can be automatically generated by the TDE, or it can be created using existing scripting tools.

Control and Flexibility — After a test is set up, any preferred scripting language can be used to modify the test parameters and run tests. Single or multiple parameters may be changed as desired using iteration.

Fully Automated — A common scenario is to quickly build the test in the TDE and then modify one or more parameters for each test run using a scripting language. An example is testing file I/O performance varying block and file sizes using variables.

Software Specifications

  • Native Interfaces and documentation are available for the Ruby, Python or Perl scripting languages
  • Test parameters can be specified at run-time
  • Statistics can be obtained dynamically during the test
  • Any parameter that can be modified in the GUI can be modified in the XML configuration file
  • Run a series of tests modifying one or more parameters each iteration