Mainframe Testing Challenges and Troubleshooting

Every type of testing is a succession of trials and errors until you find the best system possible. Testing on mainframes is no different. Throughout the process, the testing team will be confronted with problems or troubleshooting. Some concerns that have been often reported by testers are discussed below, as well as a suggested approach that might be used to discover a solution.

1. Mismatch requirements and handbook

Although a user handbook or training guide may be available, these are not the same as the stated requirements.

Solution: The testing team should be involved in the Software Development Life Cycle from the moment the system’s requirements are defined. They will be able to verify that the criteria being specified are testable and feasible if they are involved early in the process. This saves the team time, money, and effort while also ensuring that the Software Development Process does not stall during the testing phase.

2. Identifying required data

There may be times when current data should be utilized to meet a specific need. Identifying the required data from the available data can be difficult at times.

Solution: Homegrown tools can be used to set up data as needed. Queries should be developed ahead of time to retrieve existing data. In the event of a problem, a request for the creation or cloning of required data can be made to the data management team.

3. No impact analysis

It’s possible that the code impact will completely alter the system’s appearance and functionality. Changes to test cases, scripts, and data may be necessary.

Solution: Impact analysis and a scope change management strategy should be in place.

4. Ad-hoc Request

It’s possible that faults with upstream or downstream applications will demand end-to-end testing. These unanticipated demands have the ability to derail the testing process’s pre-determined timetable by adding time, effort, and other resources to the execution cycle.

Solution: To prepare for unforeseeable issues throughout the testing process, automation scripts, regression scripts, skeleton scripts, and any other backup plans should be ready to use as soon as a problem arises. This cuts down on the total amount of time and work required to complete the project.

Software Testing – Mainframe Testing

Mainframe testing is used to evaluate software, applications, and services built on Mainframe Systems. The major goal of mainframe testing is to ensure the application or service’s dependability, performance, and excellence through verification and validation methodologies, and to determine if it is ready to launch or not. Because CICS screens are custom-built for specific applications, the tester just has to know how to navigate them when performing Mainframe testing. Also, if the code in COBOL, JCL, or other languages is changed, the tester does not have to worry about the emulator being set up on the system.

Here, we will discuss the following points:

What is Mainframe?
Mainframe Testing Methodologies.
Prerequisites for Mainframe Testing.
Mainframe Attributes.
Steps for Mainframe Testing.
Mainframe Testing Procedures To Follow.
Types of Mainframe Manual Testing.
Mainframe Automation Testing Tools.
Best Practices For Mainframe Testing.
Mainframe Testing Challenges and Troubleshooting.
Benefits of Mainframe Testing.