OpenText Service Virtualization (SV) has long been a game-changer for software development and testing teams worldwide. With its ability to create realistic virtual services and simulate real-world environments, SV has significantly improved the efficiency of software development and testing.
OpenText (previously Micro Focus) has recently released Service Virtualization 2023 – packed with several new features and enhancements to make the virtualisation process smoother and accelerate software testing.
In this insight, I explain how SV accelerates testing and explore the new features in SV 2023.
What is Service Virtualization
Service Virtualization is a tool that simulates (mocks) system components or services. It allows you to use virtual services when live services are unavailable or inappropriate.
For instance, if you have an online shop, you can simulate external requests to your credit card service instead of paying to use their test service.
You can also create virtual services to simulate parts of your solution. You could mock an incomplete component or spin up a module unavailable in your development environment.
Using SV will likely give an ROI within 12 months as it will lower costs for test environments, use of external services and shorten the time to test.
Check out this article on Service Virtualization to learn more about the benefits.
How to Accelerate Software Testing With OpenText Service Virtualization
Service virtualization lets you cut project time in several ways and gives you the ability to:
Eliminate Dependencies: One of the main benefits of SV is that it allows testers to simulate the behaviour of dependent components or services that are unavailable, expensive, or time-consuming to access. Virtual services enable teams to test their applications without waiting for the actual components, reducing delays and bottlenecks in the testing process.
Develop and Test in Parallel: SV enables development and testing teams to work in parallel. Developers can continue building new features or modifying existing ones, while testers can work on virtual services that represent the expected behaviour of those components. This parallelism reduces the overall time required for software development and testing.
Reduce Test Environment Setup Time: Setting up and maintaining test environments can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. SV allows teams to quickly create and manage virtual test environments, reducing the time spent on environment setup and configuration.
Increase Test Coverage: SV enables testers to create scenarios and conditions that might be difficult or impossible to replicate in a real environment. SV allows for more comprehensive testing, increasing test coverage and ensuring potential issues are identified and addressed early in development.
Enhance Collaboration Between Teams: SV promotes collaboration between development, testing, and operations teams by enabling them to share virtual services and environments. This shared access improves communication and understanding of the system, leading to faster issue resolution and streamlined processes.
Updates Included in OpenText Service Virtualization 2023
Enhanced REST API Support
The 2023 version of OpenText SV has improved its REST API support. As a result, creating and managing virtual services is easier. The new enhancements include:
- The SV Server REST Management API allow deployment of selected virtual services from .vproja archive files, including optional agent remapping and validation.
- The OpenAPI Documentation web page is now available for reference and testing inside the SV Server.
- The API Swagger file is available over the SV Server URL.
Improved User Experience
OpenText SV has introduced a refreshed user interface, which is more intuitive and user-friendly. The new interface features:
- Redesigned Dashboard: Provides a clear overview of your virtual services and their statuses
- Simplified Navigation: makes it easier to access the essential functions.
- Enhanced Search Capabilities: Finding specific virtual services or related resources is easier.
Enhanced Protocol Support
SV 2023 has extended its protocol support to cater to a broader range of applications and services. Some of the new functionality added in this release include:
- SAP: Added several enhancements to SAP credential screens.
- Protocol Hooks: Added the ability to use protocol hooks with Intrusive MQ and FileSystem protocols.
- Service Call Activities: Added the option to use Binary-over-MQ protocol for SCA and several message types over FileSystem.
Compatibility Enhancements
OpenText SV 2023 has introduced more compatibility that allows users to accelerate projects on a number of different operating systems and software. These features include:
- Windows: Added support for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022
- Linux: Expanded support for Linux RedHat Enterprise, CentOS, and Oracle Linux versions.
- MS SQL: Added support for MS SQL 2019 and 2022.
- Java: Updated Java runtime for SV tools and SV Lab.
Find out more about the new features in SV 2023 by visiting the Service Virtuialization help page
Accelerate Your Software Testing with Service Virtualization 2023
OpenText Service Virtualization helps you accelerate testing and improve your overall user experience.
The new features in SV 2023 make creating, managing, and testing virtual services easier.
These updates enable your development and testing teams to work more efficiently, accelerate application delivery, and ensure the highest quality in their software products.
