Test Environment: What is it? How to make it effective?

Test environment is the proper set up of hardware and software crafted for the testing teams for executing test cases.  Test Environment helps in supporting text execution with network, software, and hardware configured. The text environment is primarily configured according to the Application Under Test requirements.
There are some instances when the testbed proves to be a perfect combination of test data and test environment that it operates on. Setting up a perfect test environment ensures a higher success rate in software testing. Any related flaw will lead to excess time and cost.
This article talks about the test environment in detail, along with the process, types, and benefits involved. Stick to the end for complete detail.
Testing Procedure
Major areas to set up one testing environment:
There is a key area that needs to be set up for the testing environment. Those sections will include test data, applications, and systems, database server, browser, client operating systems, and front-end running environment.
It even talks about the hardware that includes the Server Operating system and network. For covering the testing environment, there is a necessary step associated with documentations like configuration guides, reference documents, user manuals, and installation guides.

The process involving a software-based test environment setup:
Tests are limited in nature. To perform the test well, you need a team of developers, testers, system admins, and users or techies with an affinity towards testing. It is true that the current test environment needs to set up multiple numbers of some distinct areas. Some examples are listed below for better reference.

  • Setting up a test server:

It is true that you cannot execute all tests on the local machine. For some, you have to create a test server to support applications. For example, you need Fedora setup for Java-based and PHP apps with or even without a mail server.

  • Crafting test data for the environment:

Multiple firms are currently using separate forms of test environments for testing the software item. The common example is the “copy production data” for testing out. It will work well for the tester to help detect similar issues like that of a live production server. It can be done without corrupting present production data.
The current approach for copying production data for testing data will include setting up production jobs for copying data to the common testing sector. Moreover, the PII will get thoroughly modified with some other sensitive data. It is replaced with non-personal yet logically correct data. The copying production data will also help to remove data, proven to be not valuable for the test.
Developers or even the testers can even copy this to an individual test environment. They can easily modify the same as per the chosen requirements. In the case of copy production data, privacy holds a big value. For overcoming any such instances, make sure to keep a check on complicated testing data.
There are two approaches available for the anonymization of data. One is a blacklist, and another one is a whitelist. Moreover, if you are using the current production data, you must know ways to source it. One effective approach is by querying about the current database by using SQL script.

  • Network:

The set up for the network will also vary based on the test requirements. It comprises LAN Wi-Fi setup, Internet Setup, and Private network setup. The main goal is to ensure that the congestion which took place during testing will not affect any other member, such as content writers, designers, and more.

  • Bug reporting:

Testers are in need of bug reporting tools. There are many available nowadays, and testers must head towards the upgraded versions only.

  • Testing the PC setup:

You need multiple browsers for web testing to cover different testers. In terms of desktop applications, you need various OS types for multiple PC testers. In case of windows phone app testing, for example, you will need a Windows Phone emulator, visual studio installation and also need to assign windows phone to the tester.
Heading towards types of testing environments:
You will come across multiple testing environments forms and types. The one that you need solely depends on the test cases. It also depends on the application under the test. For example, any thick-client desktop-based app will have a different need when compared to a web app. So, the test environments that you need for a desktop app will differ from web application ones.
Types of Test environment

  • Chaos testing environment:

The primary aim relating to chaos testing is to understand how individual parts failing can cascade potentially and ruin the entire system. For that, the software teams will be working on fault injection methods. It helps them to create a thorough understanding relating to the present major dependencies relevant to the system and how the software ended up failing.
For example, if you have a modern web app within micro-service architecture, then setting up a reliable chaos test environment is mandatory. Here, the environments must be settled in the same manner as the production environment. They must also get configured for high availability.
To improve the entire system’s reliability, it is vital to have a separate environment to test disaster recovery, business continuity, and high-availability. The testers must also test how dependent services will behave in failure modes. To run these tests, you can focus on disaster recovery drills or game days. It helps to identify potential weak links in large-scale and modern apps.

  • Security testing environment:

The service is completely different in security testing environments. Here, the main job purpose of the security team is to ensure that the software will not have security flaws and any weaknesses in integration, confidentiality, authorization, authentication, and non-repudiation.
Here, the main purpose of chosen firm is to engage in a thorough combination of external and internal security experts. They primarily specialize in software-based security vulnerabilities. At this stage, it is vital to establish a thorough scope to define what the system is targeted for. They will talk about used methods and the time for assessment to occur.
There are certain ground rules that you must establish as a major part of the security testing environment. You must have an isolated testing environment and non-disclosure agreements. Moreover, you cannot leave the system in the worst state and should not touch production data. It is primarily application while engaging external based security companies.
Security tests can take place in multiple stages and frequencies. A successful team will always execute vulnerable assessments, audits, scans, and some other non-invasive tests. For maintaining a security baseline, security testing works great beside integration tests.

  • Performance testing environment:

You can use a performance testing environment for determining how well any system gets to perform against any performance goals. The goals can be stability, throughput, response time, and concurrency. This testing is a broad term and will include load, volume, breakpoint testing, and stress.
Good performance testing environment plays a major role in benchmarking and also identifying bottlenecks within the system. The setup remains fairly complex. It mainly requires careful configuration and selection of present infrastructure. You can run multiple tests on various environments by RAM size, CPU core numbers, data volume, concurrent users, and more.

  • Integration testing environment:

Here, you get to integrate individual software modules and then verify its behavior. There are sets of tests available, designed to check that the system behaves as mentioned in necessary documents. You get the chance to add one or more application modules and verify functional correctness.
The setup will always depend on the application type and components as being tested. Setting up such environments will involve ensuring the right hardware availability, software version, and right configuration. Such testing environments must mimic production scenes well. It will include database, web servers, application server management, and more.
Thanks to the modernized DevOps approach to the field of software development, continuous testing has become a norm these days. It is widely used multiple times a day. So, it has the power to recreate the environment to define the software delivery process.
Also read: Kick-ass API testing tools that you must know about
Benefits revolving around test environment:
You must be wondering why people are integrated more into the test environment these days. You will receive a greater test case definition and can be a proficiently, skilled testing engineer. But for harnessing the power of test cases, it is vital to have a well-designed testing environment.

  • A proper test environment helps to offer proper feedback regarding the behavior and quality of the app under test.
  • It even offers you the needful setup for running test cases.
  • You can enjoy the services of a test environment to create a dedicated environment for isolating code and verifying the behavior of the application.
  • This section ensures that other activities won’t be able to influence the tests’ outputs as running on the server.
  • Any test environment will work as a proper copy of the production environment. It forms a crucial element for you to be confident about testing results.
  • It is mandatory for the testing engineer to be 100% sure about an application that behaves in the same way in the test environment and in the production environment.

The vital use of the test environment is to free testers in modifying data without affecting any real information. The test environment provides the freedom to convince you of your worth in the development process. Here, you get to expand the testing scope to add necessary and bizarre tests, which are not possible otherwise.
It is true that test environments prove to be mandatory in the testing process. It ensures that consumer data always remains safe and also offering a true reflection of the real-world system.
Major elements to create a test environment:
Test environment management
It is necessary to focus on some major elements while creating the right test environment. Make sure to create a list first of the requirements and complete every one for creating the best test environments.

  • Remember to create test data and then insert it to the testbed. You need to take some steps to set up a database too.
  • Make sure to configure the environment as other key elements for creating a test environment.
  • You have to select the right OS and hardware. Remember to take time and evaluate the differences between running apps on Windows 10 and Windows 8.1.
  • You need to take some time to configure the network. Let’s get to know about cross-original resource share, for example.

You have to document all the necessary actions you are focusing at. This is mandatory for the other users who can replicate the environment. In the same way, detailed documentation will later help the testing engineer to set up various test environments like production environments and staging.
Activities taking place in test environment setup:
There are some interesting activities, as performed for testing environment setup. Remember to focus on those points before finalizing the testing activities.
Design test environment:
Some factors play a major role in designing the test environment. It helps in determining if the test environment needs archiving to take back-ups. It can also verify network configurations and identify required server OS, database, and more.
Setting up the environment:
The team often needs to analyze environment setup requirements before preparing a list of hardware and software requirements for the initial setup. You will receive the official confirmation for present testing sector setup for accessing it later.
Importance of smoke testing:
Whenever the environment is set up, it is time for the QA team to access it. The members of this team will perform smoke testing for validation of the test environment and building its stability. If they get the expected results, then they will move to the next phase. They might also point out some of the discrepancies, if any, and wait for the deployment after the fixes are covered.
How to setup test environment in azure?

  • Create Azure resource manager template for complete environment
  • By doing so, you will get to script and and create environment whenever you desire to.
  • Azure DevOps supports ARM templates in a way that you can create multiple environment from your pipeline
  • if you already have an environment you can import it to Azure
  • If you wish to create one go to Azure portal and sign in
  • Select storage and then storage account
  • Enter the required information
  • Select review + create
  • Select download from the top
  • After downloading the file template.json set the parameter using a template deployment tool
  • if you wish to see the parameters select the parameter section in the tool


 
Also Read: Wish to learn Jmeter in a jiffy? Click here
The final say:
This article is mandatory for the newbies and even experienced techies in the field of the test environment. Right from learning about the importance it holds to the types available, there are multiple options involving the test environment. Here, you get to learn about the process involving the test environment setup as well.
Working with a well-trained team is important and can help you gain access to test beds. Right from the activities taking place in a test environment to pivotal elements to create a test bed, this article has it all covered. So, get yourself involved in the test environment only when you re well-trained to handle such options.

How To Choose The Best Test Management Service

How to choose the best test management service? Have you been baffled by this question?
Testing has been and always will be an important part of any development and creation process.
It is the only way to validate what we created is what we wanted or not. But since most of the software development is now moving to agile managing testing effectively becomes an uphill task.
Coming back to the first question, So what is the very possible way out of this?
There are many test management service providers in the market today. And they can provide you with end to end testing solutions for your business. With the testing work outsourced your team can focus on delivering with better velocity in every sprint.
There are several other advantages as well if you decide to use the help of a test management service provider. Let me now give you an insight into the advantages of using a test management service.

Independent and Impartial Validation:

One thumb rule in testing is that testing is best performed by an independent team located away from the development team for the best results. BY outsourcing your testing tasks you stick to this thumb rule. It also ensures that your testing results are impartial and accurate.

Professional Approach

In product teams focused on development, most of the time testing takes a back seat.
More often than not the processes are bypassed and rules are bent to meet the deadlines.
Consequences? Quality goes for a toss. This problem can be easily by entrusting your testing activities to a competent test management service provider.

Greater Bandwidth For Product Development

In an agile environment that has become the industry norm, the onus is on delivering standalone usable functionality after every iteration.
It is always a race against time for the developers who are not only expected to do a unit testing of their code but also a peer testing for another team member’s code.
By giving this testing task to an independent validating team the developers will get a greater bandwidth for developing their modules and also reduce the pressure for them.

Better Reporting And Tracking

The main idea behind the testing process is not only to find issues but also reporting the defects to the correct teams and tracking them to closure.

A good test management service provider would help with timely and accurate tracking of the issues and bugs.
They would also be able to provide you with the right kind of metrics and statistics which will clearly indicate the quality of your product.
Yes, we now know why it is important to avail of the services of a test management company. But do not make the mistake of selecting just any test management service provider.
You could be taking a huge risk by doing that. Testing is a very important aspect of product success.
You need to be double sure about whom you want to entrust this big responsibility. The testing is one aspect that can make or break your product.
But please don’t panic. In this section, we list some very important points which will help decide the best test management service for your business.

Efficiency

Yes, as simple as it may seem, the efficiency of the testing process is the first and foremost criteria to be considered when choosing a test management service.
By efficiency, we mean not only finding the bugs but also issues that could critically impact the software or product.
They should also be able to think out of the box and suggest changes and enhancements in the product based on its actual use.
Ideally, they would think and use the product as an end customer would do.

Industry Experience

When you decide to outsource some of your work, make sure they are capable enough to handle the work.
Choose a test management company that has an industry standing of at least 5 years or more. Also, take time to look at the profiles of their clients to understand the kind of projects they would have handled.

Focused Testing Approach

For the testing to be more effective and result oriented, it needs to be planned out well.
The best test management service provider would have a focused approach to testing which is more focused on testing the KPI (Key Performance Indicators) features.
At the same time, it will also make sure the complete product is tested effectively with all the possible data flows and integration points.

Experience And Skill

The success of the testing effort is based on the skill, experience, and expertise of the testers. The more skilled your testers are in the product and domain, the better would be the testing performed.
If you are using automation tools, then expertise in automation is also needed.
Now, when you decide to select a test management service, you need to make sure that they have the right set of people who have ample knowledge and expertise in testing products or software which may be similar to your requirement.
For example, if you are developing a mobile app, then you need to make sure the service provider has testers with exposure to mobile app testing.

Hardware Requirements

In some cases, your product or software may require some extra hardware or have some specific user requirements.
Make sure these are communicated well to the service provider at the onset to make sure they can provide the right kind of testing services.
Let us again take the example of a mobile app. While testing a mobile app, one would need to make sure that the app has a responsive design. And to test that they would need access to multiple mobile devices with different screen sizes and resolutions.

Also Read: Top 10 Mobile App Testing Companies in India

On the same lines if your mobile app needs an internet connection to talk to certain backend servers and systems, then the service provider should be able to test this internet connectivity in Wi-Fi, 4G, 3G and hot spot connections for getting accurate results.
Hence the best test management service provider should be able to handle the specific hardware and other requirements needed for complete testing of the product.

Use of Latest Tools And Technologies

The best testing service provider would have access to the latest tools and technologies in the market which would include both free and open source products.
This would ensure that the testing is done with quality and also will be in line with the latest market trends. Some service providers would have only one or two tools and would try to test every product with that.
This is not the right practice. Every product should be tested with tools that are best suited for it based on the development language, platform and also based on where it will be deployed or used.
While selecting the best test management service makes sure they are using the right tools and technologies to test your product.

Speed To Market

One of the main reasons, for selecting a third party for doing the testing, is to save time. Hence it is important the service provider can help you speed up your process and reach the market or clients faster.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is not only important to create value or products which are needed by the clients but getting them to the market first is also the key.
With new products hitting the market almost daily, your speed to market becomes a paramount criterion for product success. Choose a test management service, which can help you improve your speed to market.

Real-Time Connectivity

There are times when your product and software may be to be tested out of different regions to understand how it performs.
This is also a good reason for choosing a test management service provider.

Instead of just mocking the locations on the systems and devices, the provider should be able to provide you with real-time connectivity with people and testers as per your needs across the globe.

Budget

Last but not least the money involved. Understand that when you decide to outsource the work, there is a cost involved. Quality comes with a price.
If someone is providing you this quality dirt cheap, then there are 99% chances they are not genuine or will mess up with your work.
Don’t go for very pricey providers which may not work out for you. Choose the apt one which fits in all the above points along with your pockets too.
Taking the services of the experts in every phase of manufacturing and production is the way things are being developed and produced.
With many specialized teams and companies available it can be quite a challenge to select the one that fits you the best.
The points above would help you choose the best test management service provider for your business. Best of luck.

Test Management Process: A Complete Guide

Test Management is very important to ensure high-quality software delivery and to ensure all-inclusive and high-end testing, a proper test management system is required. It ensures that the testing process proceeds in a correct manner.
Let us have a deep insight on Test Management.

What is Test Management?

Test management as its name signifies is the process of managing the testing process. There are various tools that are deployed for Test management. They help in the management of both automated and manual tests that are already specified by a test process.
To sum this up;  Test Management is a method of

  • Organizing and controlling the Testing process.
  • Warranting traceability, visibility, and control of the testing process to deliver high-quality software

Why do We Need Test Management?

Test management ensures the delivery of high-quality products that completely suffice on customers’ requirements.
It assists in the delivery of software within tighter deadlines, allowing collaboration among developers and testers.
In short leveraging test management process efficiently enhances:

  • Customer satisfaction
  • Smoother and more consistent projects
  • Timely product delivery

Let us move ahead and read more about it.

Who is Responsible for Test Management?

Though complete testing team along with the developers play a vital role in the process; the test Manager/lead is in charge. He acts as test support and is involved in resource planning & management, and resolving issues that create a hindrance in the testing effort.
The Test Lead / Manager are responsible for:

  • Leading the Test Team.
  • Outlining testing scope.
  • Dedicating and managing test resources.
  • Applying test metrics.
  • Scheduling, installing and handling the testing effort.
  • Thorough understanding of his role within the organization.

Test Management Process

Test Management is very important to enhance software development and delivery process. But the benefits of can only be availed if the complete process is carried out in a proper and systematic manner.
test management
The complete test management process can be divided into two parts:

  1. Planning

  2. Execution

They are again divided further into sub-processes:

1. Planning

  • Risk Analysis
  • Test Estimation
  • Test Planning
  • Test Organization

2. Execution

  • Test Monitoring and Control
  • Issue Management
  • Test Report and Evaluation

1. Planning

The first phase is planning, where all the planning for the complete test cycle takes place.

  • Risk Analysis and Solution 

Risks are the probable problems that might result in the SDLC.
It is the very first step in test management. The test manager starts working on it even before the beginning of the project. Software is susceptible to risk and early detection of risks help evade possible loss & save on project cost.

  • Test Estimation

Test estimate calculates the time and the efforts that any task would require to complete. It is one of the most important tasks in Test Management.
Benefits of Correct Test estimation:

  1. Correct test estimations result in superior planning, execution, and monitoring of tasks.
  2. It also results in more precise test scheduling.
  3. It helps apprehend results in more assertively.
  • Test Planning

Test planning is very important for carrying out all testing activities smoothly and efficiently. The test plan creation is the main aim of test planning. A test plan defines the approach, scope, resources, and calendar of proposed testing activities.
A Test Plan thoroughly defines:

  1. Test Strategy
  2. Test Objective
  3. Exit /Suspension Criteria
  4. Resource Planning
  5. Test Deliverables
  • Test Organization

When all the planning is being done and everything is in its place it’s time to organize an efficient testing team. A skilled team is very important to execute testing effectively.

2. Execution

The second phase is test execution, where testing is actually executed to find testing results.

  • Test Monitoring and Control

What if you find your test resources are falling short of and your schedule has just messed up? You will need to Monitor and Control Test activities to take back control of the project. Test Monitoring and Control keeps a check on test metrics to make sure that project is on time, within the budget and is proceeding well.

  • Monitoring

During monitoring, the test team assembles, records, and reports relevant details on on-going project activities.
The test manager is accountable for the following activities in this phase:

  1. Outlining project goal
  2. Observing the project performance
  3. Comparing planned vs. actual performance
  4. Recording and reporting of identified defects
  • Controlling

The main aim of this phase is to manage any up and downs in the testing process and to bring back the performance of the process as planned. It is done using the data received from test monitoring. In Test control, any deviations in the project are adjusted to as planned in the test plan.

  • Issue Management

We have already discussed risk management, but if at times we fail in risk management and these risks convert into the issue, we have to make sure that these issues are efficiently dealt with so that the final build is bug–free.
Software projects are highly prone to unexpected problems. But these issues need to be efficiently dealt with. If they are not properly catered they can cause huge loses to your business. These issues could be related to tight deadlines, improper resources, etc.  Ensure proper management of the issues in your project.

  • Test Report & Evaluation

When you are all happy that your project is completed, it’s time to take out a little time to prepare and test report and evaluate the test data.

Test Management Responsibilities

There are a few tasks that are expected to perform, some of them are:

  • The most important role and responsibility is to improve the quality of the software.
  • It is also responsible for the creation and upkeep of product metrics.
  • It empowers developers to ensure that less design or coding errors are inserted in the code.

Test Management Tools

Test management requires a lot of planning. The test manager needs to select an efficient team, assign them various responsibilities based on their capabilities and so on.
One of the major decisions to be taken by the test manager is to select the best test management tool for the complete process.

Functions of The Tools

  1. Automatic generation of the required test matrix (RTM) that indicates functional coverage of the product
  2. Testware management
  3. Test scheduling
  4. The logging of results
  5. Test tracking
  6. Incident management
  7. Test reporting.

Tools Selection Principles

You should not just randomly pick any test management tool. Choice of test management tool depends on your requirements and its functionalities.

Also Read: All Info About Software Development Engineer in Test(SDET)

Take time to analyze what you expect from this tool and then patiently study various features and pick the correct one for your project.
Here are the Main Questions that you should ask before finalizing the Test Management Tool for your Project:

  • How capable is the test management tool to manage your projects and your team?
  • Does this tool support develop test cases, test plans, test scenarios or user stories?
  • Does this tool supports test runs, managing the testing process, usability, and efficiency?
  • Is it capable of creating test reports?
  • Is bug tracker available in this tool and what its speed is?
  • Check out for some other features availability like import/export, incorporation with other systems, crash analytics, etc.

Test Management Tools

Some of the best test management tools are

  • TestRail
  • TestLink
  • EasyQA
  • PractiTest
  • JIRA
  • qTest
  • TestCollab
  • TestLodge
  • QA coverage
  • TestCaseLab
  • Zephyr

What are the Challenges in Test Management?

  • Insufficient time for testing
  • Lack of testing resources
  • Budget and schedule constraints
  • Lack of testing documents.
  • The complexity of the requirements to test and validate

Test Management Best Practices

  1. Make Sure you Start Testing Activities at the Earliest Possible:

Starting testing at the early stages of SDLC is very beneficial. But many of us even after being aware of it does not follow it. This leads to the detection of bugs at later stages resulting in the additional cost of rectifying them. This also delays the whole process as it will increase the time to rectify it and to retest it.

  1. Execute Iterative Tests:

Iterative testing approaches are highly beneficial and hugely recommended. Such approaches help in the creation of testing assets and help save a lot of time.

  1. Reuse Test Assets

Reusing test assets like test automation scripts, test procedures, test cases, etc. can save a lot of time and effort. So try and reuse test assets whenever possible. You can leverage these skills to foresee which assets can be reused or not.

  1. Try to Improve the Time Spent:

Always be on a trail to improve product quality and efficiency of the team. It can save you a lot of time and effort.

  1. Deploy Requirement Based Testing and Testing Strategies:

Different types of testing processes require different types of test approaches. It is always suggested to use a test approach based on your test requirements.
Such practices can help you get better testing results and promises you faster delivery of a quality product that enhances your customer experience.  Such an approach also reduces test efforts and time to test.

  1. Ensure Coordination Among Co-Located Testing Resources:

Ensure that the co-located testing resources are effectively coordinated. This coordination helps control issues related to testing resources, enhance productivity, and mend timelines; thus resulting in better ROI.

  1. Utilize Malleable Testing Processes

Every project has different requirements and hence needs to be tested differently. A flexible test management process is the need of the day to create an automated workflow.
This process should be able to repeat itself and should also permit optimization and modification of prevailing workflow as per the need.

  1. Utilize DevOps:

With more competitive business, new testing processes are now ruling the industry. DevOps is an approach that focuses on the close collaboration of developers, testers and operation’s team.
This approach helps in maintaining uniformity in forthcoming releases, decreasing defects, speedy and iterative development of software, speeding up business growth, etc.

  1. Communication is the key to successful Test management

The proper test management also depends on proper communication of all appropriate data such as goals, status, etc.  To the stakeholders in the apt format, and at the right time.

  1. Wise Automation can bring Huge Benefits

Accomplishing these tasks requires a lot of time and efforts. Using automated management tools can save you a lot of time and efforts while promising you for effective and efficient test results.

Conclusion

Test management is a very important process of software testing. It assures the better testing results and timely delivery of the final product. Make sure you follow the best test management practices and assure 100% customer satisfaction.

24 Best Test Management Tools For Testers

Test management tools are of utmost importance to the software testers because they somewhat ease out the task of the testers. These tools also play a key role in streamlining the test process.
A good test management tool must check the following boxes; easy installation, reporting system, defect tracking system, import-export system, and most importantly, it should be compatible with other test management tools.
This list brings to you the top 24 best test management tools of 2020.

1. Test Case Lab
 

This is a feature-loaded test management tool. It checks all the boxes that a good test management tool must-have. TestCaseLab allows the QA engineer to create test cases, group those cases, and lastly execute test runs.
You can individually search, edit, and delete different cases in this tool. Most of all, this tool has an easy installation process and can be done without the help of IT
Features

  • Can be used to manage test cases and merge it with bug trackers
  • Progress of each test can be monitored
  • All the activities of the project can be tracked and the wrong action can be undone
  • Test cases can be converted other projects
  • Search option
  • Real-time sync during collaboration
  • Already available integration is, JIRA

2. Test Lodge

Test lodge is the best test management tool of all time. The user interface is easy and intuitive. It has all the essential features which enable the QA engineer to create test plans, suites, and cases.
Apart from that, it also facilitates bug tracking with inbuilt integration with other top bug tracking tools and a fairly useful graphical reporting system.
Features

  • An online test management tool
  • Helps in organizing testing work right away
  • Can be integrated with issue tracking tools
  • Test plans can be created from scratch with the help of templates
  • Test suites can be created using a simple interface. All you have to do is import test cases from a spreadsheet
  • Each test can be marked as failed or passed
  • Can integrate with other tools
  • Impeccable dashboard and reporting features
  • An entire team can be kept in sync and tasks can be managed

3. Practitest

This is one of the few end-to-end test management tools. You get a 30-day free trial and after that, you have to pay some nominal charges for using Practitest.
It allows seamless integration with Redmine, Pivotal tracker, and Jira and a few other systems. Also, communicating the test results is ever so easy with this test management tool.
Features

  • End to end QA management for manual and automation testing
  • Visibility of the project can be ensured with customizable dashboards and reports
  • The existing bug tracker can be integrated with other tools
  • Bugs can be tracked with the help of advanced filters
  • Can be used to perform exploratory testing
  • Work can be turned into effective without losing critical information
  • Duplicate bugs can be identified and deleted
  • Can be customized in accordance with needs
  • Time management feature plan testing assignments easily

4. Qtest

According to the critics, this is the number 1 test management tool as it enables the QA engineers to create test cases, group those cases, and lastly execute test runs smoothly.
It pairs with 3rd party test management tools which make QTest all the more powerful. Individuals and test teams can collectively use this tool.
This eliminated the need for e-mail to communicate test results to each other. QTest is very prevalent in the agile development field.
Features

  • Tracking, organize and reporting of tests can be using an easy interface
  • Tests can be centralized
  • Flexible configurations
  • Impeccable integration features
  • Test execution can be tracked and managed
  • Real-time reporting and analytics features

5. Test Collab

It has all the essentials of a good test management tool. Integration with JIRA, GogBugs, and Redmine is the unique selling proposition of this tool.
The main screen of the software shows important information like project quality trend, control testing metrics, time spent on a test and so on.
Features

  • Can be used for creating and commencing Test plans, execution, requirements, test cases
  • Time estimate for testing can be calculated before critical release
  • Chat facility to increase interaction between developers and testers
  • Integrate with the defect management system
  • When a test fails it will be automatically pushed to the issue manager

6. Zephyr

Automation is the focus of Zephyr and hence you will see a lot of automation tools in Zephyr starting from Selenium to Bamboo and Jenkins.
It comes with a trial period of 30 days after which you have to purchase the tool for further use.
Features

  • Real-time Jira integration
  • Helps in better team collaboration
  • Better visibility on software projects
  • Can be used to manage all the aspect of software quality life cycle
  • Customised Jira workflows
  • Test case re-usability

7. Quality Centre
 

This test management tool is maintained by Micro Focus. Created by HP, It has the following features; metrics management, agile testing, requirements management, test and defect management, and agile testing. This tool is available for a 30-day free trial.
Features

  • Easy to use
  • Impeccable, release management,  requirement management, test case management, test execution management, defect management and report management.
  • Defects report can be shared across multiple projects
  • Integration with third-party tools is easy

8. Test Link

This is an open-source test management tool. Test Link can very well collaborate with bug trackers. Create test cases, group those cases, and lastly execute test runs with a fair amount of ease.
It has metrics and chart support built into it which comes in very handy during a presentation and communicating test results.
9. Testuff

Testuff supports testing a super wide range of software. Integration with top bug trackers is built into this tool.
The best part about this tool is that it allows the tester to attach a video of the defect to the test report. Also, it comes with twitter integration which makes sharing the test result with the team seamless.
Features

  • Compliant to methodologies such as Agile, exploratory testing, waterfall, Top-Down, Bottom-up etc.
  • Efficient work allocation and management
  •  Test results from various tools can be integrated
  • Can automatically adapt to any mobile device
  • Unlimited record and playback option
  • Regular monthly updates

10. Test Rail

Test Rail is a basic test management tool. It packs all the basic functions and comes with a 30-day free trial. The user interface is clean and has an inbuilt issue tracker. Test Rail gives real-time reports on your progress. It also has the capacity to work collectively with a bunch of automation tools.
Features

  • Manage test cases,  suites and execution efficiently
  • A sudden boost in test productivity
  • Can be integrated with bug trackers and automated tests
  • Powerful metrics and reporting

11. Testflo

Test management within JIRA is best done TestFLO. Automation tools like Bamboo and Selenium work smoothly with TestFLO. Defects and requirements of different test cases are maintained. Apart from this, TestFLO has all the components of a good test management tool. The trial period on this one is of 30 days.
Features

  • The major component of  PROBE.Studio, ERP Toolkit solution
  • Just copy the Business design document to Excel file and the data can be imported to the TestFLO repository.
  • Impeccable requirement traceability
  • Test progress tracking
  • Test preconditions are reusable
  • Built-in-report features
  • Reporting can be done through JIRA dashboards and Issue Navigator
  • Automated test results can be imported from Jenkins or Bamboo

12. Qmetry

Metry allows the testers to test projects within JIRA. This makes the entire test cycle very seamless. The user interface of QMetry is simple and its main features include requirement tracking, test case management, test execution, reporting, user management, and issue management.
Features

  • Helps Agile+DevOps team to increase the quality of the product
  • End-to-end test management
  • Text execution management
  • Efficient integration with CI/CD tools
  • Multiple releases and execution can be handled simultaneously
  • Leakage can be prevented by parallel testing
  • Granular project reporting with analytics and dashboard

13. QASE

QASE is the one and only notable cloud test management tool. Both individuals and test teams use it. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most liked test management tools. Using this test management tool is known to substantially increase productivity. Managing test cases, preparing test plans, and performing test runs is very easy with Qase.
Features

  • An effective test management tool for DEV and QA teams
  • Helps in organizing test cases to logical groups
  • It allows you to define test case severity, describe pre-conditions, priority, etc.
  • Can be used to create test plans and run tests
  • Role-based access controls for different groups
  • Can be integrated with Jira integration, Redmine integration, YouTrack integration, Slack integration
  • With the help of REST API, automated tests results can be sent to Qase

14. HipTest

Hiptest is the preferred test management tool of DevOps and Agile Collaboration is very easy with this tool. It is widely used in over 150 countries.
Hippest is easy to install and if you face any difficulty with the tool, just contact the Hiptest customer care. Hiptest supports just over 20 frameworks including Specflow, Cucumber, Selenium, Junit, etc.
Features

  • An easy-to-use editor that will help you to edit your scenario
  • Best platform for BDD
  • Creates a direct relationship between tests and acceptance criteria so that it can be validated with living documentation of the application
  • Acceptance test can be co-designed and shared understanding can be maintained using the tool
  • Test refactoring will become easier than ever
  • Manual and automated tests can be created, assigned and executed
  •  Living documentation feature
  • Working condition of features of the product can be tracked from the start to release
  • Features can be updated directly from the repository

15. ReqTest

It allows the tester to report bugs on the same instant of their sighting. Reporting is a joy with ReQtest as there is support for diagrams, charts, and metrics. Test productivity increases with this software as it gives a real-time progress report.
Features

  • Efficient management of test plans, cases, and runs
  • Advanced bug tracking
  • Immense support for Agile model of development
  • Cloud-based tool
  • Efficient requirement management module
  • An advanced bug tracking module

16. Testpad

You can invite guest testers to test. All you need to do is sent an e-mail invite. There is no need for the guest tester to create an account on Testpad. This feature is very useful and handy. Apart from that, Testpad has all the necessary tools integrated into it.
Features

  • Helps you to replace the usage of spreadsheet
  • Helps in manual testing
  • Keyboard driven interface
  • Helps in Agile model of development
  • Checklists make test plans easier
  • You can get details of the test run  on your mobile

17. Aqua

AQUA stands for aligned quality assurance. It makes management of automated and manual test cases very easy. Requirements and defects are also mentioned in the same tool.
Features

  • Test cases can be structured and managed in projects
  • Test cased can be automatically generated with the help of field requirements
  • Manual tests can be automated
  • Support CI (continuous integration) by initiation and implementation of tests

18. QA Complete

QA Complete sets the benchmark for all test management tools. It comes with seamless synchronization with QA tools like Bugzilla, JIRA, Test Complete, Jenkins, Soap UI and so on. You can individually search, edit, and delete different cases in this tool.
Features

  • Helps in optimizing speed and quality of testing
  • Helps in achieving continuous agility in Agile to automation, DevOps to Analytics

19. XQual

XQUAL is not a mainstream penetration testing software. Instead, it aims to eliminate common errors while test management like slippage, regression, bugs. These arise mainly due to improper management of the test.
Features

  • Helps in defining requirement specification and bug tracking
  • Helps in gaining pace for the project
  • Integrated solution helps in reducing cost of the project
  • Be it automated test or manual test Xqual has the ability to record in run time.
  • Vivid displaying of results, excellent result tracking features
  • Excellent spring tracking features
  • Test execution can be scheduled and helps in continuous integration

20. IBM Rational Quality Manager

The name is enough for this test management tool. It has a separate section where the testers can see the progress on different test cases all at once.
Features

  • Web-based quality management solution
  • Customizable test plans
  • Helps in compliance audits
  • Accelerated manual and automated testing
  • Cloud-based software
  • Excellent integration features

21. Gemini

It has a simple and intuitive user interface. You can maintain test records on Gemini and review them later. It allows assigning tasks to different team members. Apart from this, it has all the necessary features of a good project management tool.
Features

  • Can be used to capture requirement and track progress in a private or collaborative environment
  • One of the best when it comes to integration
  • Complex changes can be broken down into small manageable items
  • Easy to generate reports
  • Email alert  option
  • Badges that show notifications if there is any change

22. Deviniti

Deviniti is an impeccable tool for managing team, development process and testing tools. The tool also helps in gathering requirements, writing test cases, define test plans report defects, etc.
Features    

  • Every code changes in the repository will reflect in the CI/CD pipeline too
  • A secure repository of its own that will help in easy communication within different technologies helps in mutual integration and increases productivity.
  • Built-in the pipeline that can help in creating an ideal project environment
  • Can be used to optimize the existing environment

23. Klaros Test Management
 

With the help of Klaros, you can document, control and plan tests efficiently. It can also be integrated to test automation tools, defect management tools and requirement management tools.
Features

  • Tasks for testers can be assigned with the press of a button
  • Tasks can be organized on the basis of a hierarchy and review it
  • Staff utilization, quality, and test progress can also be monitored
  • Manual and automated test cases are evaluated
  • Results can be exported in Excel, PDF or XML format

24. Silk central

With the help of Silk Central, you now unify all the testing related activities to one single platform. Real-time analysis is the forte of this platform.
Features

  • Can be used to validate end-to-end processes
  • Impeccable collaboration and traceability features
  • Supports Agile, conventional as well as hybrid methodologies
  • Analysis and reports can be accessed in real-time.
  • Helps in conducting risk-based demand-driven testing

Conclusion

List does not end here there are plenty of test management tools in the market made by various vendors. The 24 listed here are the most used. However, using tools basically depends on personal interest and various other technical factors.