Getting it, masking it and re-using it.
How do you go about obtaining data for testing? There are only so many ways…
- Full restore or copy of production
- Extract data subsets via SQL or via a tool
- Copy records
- Generate via a program
- Enter transactions through the business application
- Manually enter data via your favorite data utility
Which method(s) do you use? Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, and some are certainly more manual than others.
Whichever route is taken it does take time and effort to obtain the data for testing. If you are using live data, which many do, then there is the added task of anonymization or obfuscation.
It comes as no surprise to hear that for some, it takes more time to prepare the data environment than it does to actually execute the tests.
Furthermore, once the testing is executed, the data either gets used up or corrupted. Then it’s back to repeating the task of obtaining more data.
But what if you could obtain the data you need in a more efficient manner?
What if you could easily mask the data and keep it compliant with the stringent privacy laws?
What if you could roll back and reset your data for use again and again?
Sound appealing? Well, it’s easily done with proven modules of TestBench, the market-leading test data management solution for IBM i. Why not talk to us and explore the ways you can solve your test data challenges?
Richard Carbray is a Solutions Consultant at Original Software.
