V E R I F I C A T I O N

REVIEWER’S GUIDE

SilkTest
confidence
by
®

software quality optimization

TM

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 1

READING THIS GUIDE
This document is designed to assist you in your evaluation of SilkTest® from Segue Software. SilkTest is the industry’s
leading functional and regression testing solution. The Reviewer’s Guide contains tips on what to look for in an automated
testing solution and describes how SilkTest can help you begin or advance your automated testing efforts.

If you are new to SilkTest or have minimal experience, you will want to start at the beginning, with Maximize Your Test
Investment on page 3. You may be especially interested in the following sections: What to Look for in an Automated Testing
Solution on page 3 and Developing Automation on page 9.

If you have automation experience, you may want to pay particular attention to the following sections: Developing
Automation on page 9, Moving Automation to the Next Level: Advanced Techniques on page 11 and Maintaining
Automation: Coping with Change on page 12.

ABOUT THE SILKCENTRAL

SOFTWARE QUALITY OPTIMIZATION (SQO ) PLATFORM TM TM

Segue offers SilkCentral - an integrated platform to define, measure, manage and improve software quality from develop-
ment through deployment and into production. The SilkCentral platform provides a single point of control into all quality
activities and up-to-the-minute visibility into application quality status, thus integrating all quality stakeholders through-
out the software application lifecycle. SilkCentral serves as the foundation for Segue’s SQO strategy and incorporates all of
the existing Silk family of products, as well as other third-party solutions, into one, cohesive environment. Segue’s highly
respected Silk product line is fully integrated into SilkCentral, each test automation product serving as an engine to drive a
specific quality function within the platform. For example, functional/regression testing and load testing are provided by
Segue’s flagship products, SilkTest® and SilkPerformer®, respectively.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide contains the following:

3 Maximize Your Test Investment

4 Why Choose SilkTest

7 How SilkTest Works

9 Developing Automation

11 Moving Automation to the Next Level

12 Maintaining Automation: Coping with Change

13 Running Tests and Analyzing Results

14 Software Quality Optimization (SQO) throughout

the Application Lifcycle

15 Specific SilkTest Integrations

SilkTest is an easy-to-use test automation solution that enables users to be highly productive
in their software test automation efforts.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 2

M A X I M I Z E YO U R T E S T I N V E S T M E N T
Manually testing software is a time-consuming and often
tedious process, one that cannot guarantee testing consis-
tency across releases and platforms. Additionally, time con-
straints hinder the ability to manually test and retest appli-
cations before they are released. Inevitably the question re-
mains: “Did any critical bugs go undetected?”
of whether or not any errors occur during test execution.
This means no one needs to spend time overseeing the
test runs.
Tests that are portable across platforms eliminate the need
to spend time tweaking the tests to adjust to differences that
the various configurations might introduce.

Why Automated Testing?

A viable alternative or supplement to manual testing is au-
tomated testing. Automated tests offer several advantages,
primarily productivity and repeatability. Automation pro-
vides a reduction in the time taken to perform testing and an
increase in the predictability of test runs. With manual test-
ing, human error can lead to falsely identifying defects.

Another advantage of automating tests is that multiple tests

can be generated quickly from a single, base test. Automa-
tion tools offer programmatic aids such as data-driven test-
ing to generate multiple similar tests using different data,
whereas using manual testers to create large numbers of
repetitive tests is impractical.

Automated testing leads to better use of both your QA staff

and computer resources. Testers are freed up to put more
effort where it counts - writing and accumulating new tests
to expand test coverage of both new and existing applica-
tion functionality. The vast majority of defects are found
when developing new tests. While QA personnel are writing
new tests, computers can be used to run unattended auto-
mated tests around the clock.
What to Look for in an Automated Testing Solution
The key to an automated testing tool is how effective it is in
helping you quickly determine application quality. This
means that the automated testing tool should ensure that:
„ Tests can run unattended regardless of how the
application behaves during test execution
„ Tests can run unmodified on any supported platform
in need of testing
Tests that are insulated from application changes, both at
the interface and functional level, require little or no time to
modify in order to run right away. This is an important
point, given that the applications you need to test are
continually evolving; if they were not you would no longer
be testing them. Lastly, accurate, easily accessed and
analyzed test result information is the final piece to timely
quality assessment.
KEY BENEFITS
„ Leverage existing skill sets to achieve high levels of automation
productivity
„ Maximize testing opportunities by running tests unattended 24x7
„ Reduce the risk of application errors by maximizing test coverage

„ Tests can run as soon as possible after the „ Meet demanding release schedules with shortened test cycles
software is available
„ Results are analyzed in a timely manner

The consistent benefit in all of these factors is increasing

productivity. True unattended testing does not require hu-
man intervention to keep the test suite running, regardless

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 3

WHY CHOOSE SILKTEST
SilkTest has many benefits and features that will appeal For example, different browsers, such as Microsoft Internet
to users of any skill level, but let us focus on the features that Explorer, Netscape Navigator and AOL, have similarly
are most influential in helping you make timely, application named buttons that perform the same function, such as the
quality assessments: button for refreshing the current page. With SilkTest, in
most cases, you can use the same scripts and window decla-
„ Built-in, customizable Recovery System for
unattended testing rations to interact with the application, regardless of which
browser is being used to run the application.
„ Flexible, robust, object-oriented 4Test scripting
language, enabling you to test across multiple
Browser Icon
platforms, browsers and technologies with one
set of scripts
MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER
„ Agents for simultaneous distributed testing
„ Reporting
NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR
„ Direct database access and validation
„ Workflow elements for test creation and
AOL
customization

Customizable Recovery System The object-oriented aspects of 4Test, as well as other

SilkTest has a built-in, highly customizable Recovery
features such as window tagging (see Application GUI and
System that lets tests run unattended, regardless of the
SilkTest Objects on page 7 for more information), provide
behavior of the Application Under Test (AUT).
opportunities for abstraction of data and functions so
After the completion of each individual test in a series to be that when the application changes, tests can be run with
executed, the Recovery System restores the application to minimal modification.
an easily defined initial or base state, including restarting the
For example, the relocation of a link on a Web page would
application in the event of an application crash.
require no test modification. If the link was changed to a
button, reclassifying the element from a link to a button,
Portability Across Platforms which is done in seconds with 4Test, is all that would
SilkTest uses 4Test, which is an object-oriented, purpose- be required to enable any tests accessing that UI element
built scripting language, to define tests. Many constructs to run.
exist within 4Test that are automatically exploited by SilkTest
to enable out-of-the-box script portability across platforms,
browsers and other variables, such as screen resolution.
This means little or no time is spent modifying the tests
before running them in different environments or under
different operating conditions.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 4

Agents for Distributed Testing
SilkTest also offers a cost effective way to distribute tests
over multiple computers and run them in parallel, thereby
shortening the overall test execution cycle. The key driver of
this capability is the SilkTest Agent. The Agent is installed
on the same machine as the AUT, and drives and monitors
the application.
In a simple, non-distributed configuration, the SilkTest
graphical user interface (GUI), a SilkTest Agent and the AUT
all reside on the same machine. In a networked environ-
ment, any number of agents can be installed and run on
remote machines (controlled by a single SilkTest GUI) in
order to distribute testing for concurrent test execution and
reduce test cycle time. The ability to have multiple SilkTest
Agents controlled by a single SilkTest GUI is necessary in
order to correctly test logical transactions that are performed
by application components distributed over multiple ma-
chines.
Reporting
Once results from a test run are available, SilkTest offers
many out-of-the-box mechanisms for results analysis,
including charting, graphing, summary reporting, failure
and bitmap analysis and updating of expected test results.
With extensions to the Recovery System, you can comple-
ment the standard results analysis capabilities with e-mail
notifications, XML reports, linkage to issue tracking
systems and obtaining real time test execution status from a
browser. All of these features combine to facilitate a timely
assessment of the quality of the software release.
Direct Database Access
You can also use SilkTest to access and manipulate
databases for a variety of purposes, such as:
„ Verifying an application’s database results without
using the AUT
„ Setting the server database to a known state
„ Reading information from the database to use as
input to a test or to control test execution flow
„ Exercising certain database functions that are
present in a GUI that runs directly on the server
machine and is not a client application, for example,
administrative functions used for setting up the
database
For more information about accessing databases,
see Intermediate Automation and Verifying Database
content on page 10.
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 5
Workflow Bar for Test Creation & Customization
SilkTest offers workflow bars to guide you as you create
and customize tests. Use the Basic Workflow bar to create
recorded tests and the Data Driven Workflow bar to
create data driven versions of these tests. Both workflow
bars offer users a chance to become productive quickly,
allowing for point-and-click creation of highly
reusable, easy-to-maintain automated tests.
The Basic Workflow and Data Driven Workflow bars are
shown below. We will take a look at both of these Workflow
bars in subsequent sections.
Supported Technologies
SilkTest has your application covered, regardless of whether
it is a browser-based application using all the latest bells and
whistles, a standalone Java application or a traditional cli-
ent/server application. The following is a representative list
of the technologies SilkTest supports:
„ Browsers, including Internet Explorer, Netscape and
AOL using DHTML, HTML, XML, JavaScript, ActiveX
and Applets
„ Standalone Java applications
„ .NET

Basic Workflow „ PalmOS® platform

„ DLLs
„ Visual Basic
Data Driven Workflow „ Siebel 7
„ 3270/5250 and AS/400
„ PowerBuilder
„ Windows 32 applications
„ Databases

For a complete list, see the SilkTest release notes or contact

Segue’s technical support.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 6

HOW SILKTEST WORKS
Architecture The SilkTest Agent is the component of SilkTest that inter-
Application GUIs are composed of objects such as win- acts with the GUI of the AUT.
dows, menus and buttons that a user manipulates using a
keyboard and a mouse to initiate application operations.
SilkTest interprets these objects and recognizes them Host Machine
based on the class, properties and methods that uniquely with SilkTest
identify them.

During testing, SilkTest interacts with the objects to submit 4Test Code
operations to the application automatically (simulating
the actions of a user) and then verifies the results of each
operation.

The simulated user, SilkTest, drives the application. GUI Commands

Your Action SilkTest Records

Pick a menu item identifier.Pick () Application

Under Test
Check a checkbox identifier.Check ()

Write text identifier.SetText ()

Close a dialog identifier.Close () The Agent translates the commands in 4Test scripts into
GUI-specific commands, driving and monitoring the AUT.
The Agent and the AUT are required to be on the same box.
SilkTest consists of two distinct components that execute in
separate processes:
Application GUI and SilkTest Objects
„ The SilkTest Host software
In order for SilkTest to interact with the objects of the GUI,
„ The SilkTest Agent software it is common, but not required, to have a counterpart
The Host software is the SilkTest component you use to object declared in SilkTest. SilkTest object declarations are
develop, edit, compile, run and debug your test scripts and contained in include or frame files; it is these objects against
testplans. The machine that runs this component is often which 4Test script statements, contained in script files, are
referred to as the host machine. recorded or written. This separation of object declarations
and script statements provides for easier porting and main-
tenance of your tests.

Each object declaration has a class, a tag and an identifier.

The diagram on the next page shows several object declara-
tions for the page gmo.segue.com, Segue’s sample
Web application. The home page has the 4Test built-in
class BrowserChild, while the heading on the page,
“GMO Online” has the built-in class HtmlHeading.
The tag portion is used to describe the physical or other
characteristics that uniquely match a 4Test object to its coun-
terpart in the GUI.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 7

Default values for the identifier and tag of an object declara-
tion are customizable, and even the defaults that SilkTest
generates may be altered. For example, it is possible to
defer until test execution time the determination of the tag
values, such as by calling a function that retrieves informa-
tion stored in a spreadsheet. Many of the most successful
SilkTest customers have exploited the power of the
SilkTest tagging mechanism to create object declarations
that are highly insulated from changes that their GUI
counterparts might have undergone, promoting ease of
automation maintenance.
Users have a choice as to when the SilkTest object declara-
tions are initially constructed. One way is to navigate
to application windows/pages and statically capture decla-
rations for objects contained on the active window/page
using SilkTest’s declaration recorder. Subsequent test
recordings that exercise previously declared objects result in
script statements that reference those pre-existing objects.
Alternatively, with SilkTest 6.0 and later versions, test
recorders can be directed to generate both the object decla-
rations and test statements that reference them during
recording, eliminating the need to pre-record declarations.
Scripting Without Window Declarations
Finally, users can choose to use SilkTest’s dynamic
instantiation feature to reference GUI objects in a test. In
this case, a SilkTest object declaration is not required.
Instead, syntax that is composed of the class and tag of an
object is used in order to reference GUI objects within a test.
This and other mechanisms are covered later as part of the
discussion on testing dynamic content.
Identifier
Class
Tag
[ +] HtmlImage Logo
[ ] tag “Logo”
[ +] HtmlHeading GMOOnLine
[ ] tag “GMO OnLine”
[ +] HtmlPushButton AboutTheGMOSite
[ ] tag “About The GMO Site”
[ +] HtmlLink PleaseLetUsKnowHowYouLik
[ ] tag “Please let us know how
you like our site”
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 8
 DEVELOPING AUTOMATION
Depending upon your automated testing goals and the skill
levels within your organization, you may use SilkTest to
develop test automation in a variety of ways. For example,
you may have business analysts, quality assurance engi-
neers – from novices to experts – or software engineers
taking a role in ensuring software quality. Using SilkTest,
you can create and leverage automation among all these
skill sets.
Introductory Automation Using the Basic
Workflow
To get started, you may choose SilkTest’s Basic Workflow,
which guides you through the process of creating a test. The
Basic Workflow offers a starting point, enabling you to cre-
ate recorded tests to get up and running quickly. This
workflow will be used quite frequently if your automation
goals are centered on the record/playback approach to
automated testing.
The Basic Workflow allows users to create a project, create
one or more tests and play those tests back. The tests that
are created contain references to 4Test objects created by
SilkTest’s test recorder while you interact with the applica-
tion. After using the Basic Workflow for test creation, users
might choose to examine the recorded actions and see how
4Test, SilkTest’s scripting language, is used.
Click the Enable Extensions
Using the Basic Workflow bar, you
button at any time to enable
create a project, automatically
SilkTest to recognize your
enable and test extension settings,
application.
configure the recovery system and
record and run a testcase.
Begin by creating a
new SilkTest project.
This will organize all
the resources
associated with a
test set.
You can also feel confident that the tests created will run to
completion, even if an unexpected application error occurs
during test playback. The Basic Workflow automatically
configures SilkTest’s built-in Recovery System, gathering all
the information required to start your application and
return it to the desired base state before executing each test
in the series.
Intermediate Automation Using the Data Driven
Workflow and AutoComplete
Once you have created a test using the Basic Workflow, you
will probably want to make it data driven. A test created
using the Basic Workflow typically contains hard-coded
application data and functionality. The Data Driven
Workflow assists you in creating a functionally equivalent,
data driven version of a test. The Data Driven Workflow
creates a modified test that replaces hard-coded data refer-
ences with references to 4Test record fields. The values for
these record fields are bound to database table elements.
Data driven tests are then executed repeatedly over
multiple data sets. Using this workflow to make your tests
more general, in terms of the application and verification
data they use when they are run, increases test reusability.
The Recovery System
gathers all the information
to start your application
and return it to the desired
Base State.
Click to record
your testcase.
Run one or
multiple
testcases.
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 9
Data driven tests: Intermediate Automation and Verifying
Database Content
„ Are highly reusable; adding new tests only requires
adding new data SilkTest can drive a server application’s GUI by means
of the SilkTest Agent exactly as it drives a client application.
„ Make it easier for you to maintain test automation due In addition, the DB Tester feature of SilkTest provides direct
to a smaller number of distinct tests; a single data
access (using SQL) from a test script to any database sup-
driven test that uses multiple data sets replaces
ported by ODBC drivers. The SQL commands are submit-
several individual, similar tests that differ only in the
ted by means of several SilkTest database functions that do
data they use
not require the services of the SilkTest Agent. These data-
Users may also need to modify recorded tests in order to base functions enable you to read and write
introduce logic into the test. For example, a single test could database records without using the client application. Thus,
use logic statements to properly deal with a confirmation client test results can be verified without assuming the
dialog that the application might present when saving files. ability of the client to perform the verification.
In order to help introduce test logic and other test
The database functions, among other things, allow you to
code customizations, SilkTest offers AutoComplete.
connect to a database, submit an SQL statement, read data
AutoComplete makes it easier to work with 4Test, signifi-
from selected record(s) and, subsequently, disconnect from
cantly reducing the potential for scripting errors and
the database.
decreasing the need to type text into 4Test files by automati-
cally completing functions, members, application states and
data types.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 10

MOVING AUTOMATION TO
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
For more advanced development of automated tests, SilkTest
gives you the power to develop custom test automation
using features such as the object-oriented 4Test scripting
language, user-defined classes and DBTester. More advanced
features of SilkTest enable you to:
„ Test DLLs
„ Test dynamic content
„ Test custom windows
„ Create custom automation frameworks
Testing DLLs
Using SilkTest, the testing of DLLs can be automated to
ensure that functions contained within the DLL behave as
they should. You can pass various types of arguments to
DLLs, including arguments that can be modified by the DLL
function. In addition to the standard 4Test data types,
SilkTest also supports a number of C data types, enabling
the thorough testing of application DLLs.
Working with Dynamic Content
When testing applications in which the content is generated
dynamically, such as the results page of a Web search engine,
you will want to make use of SilkTest’s unique
dynamic instantiation feature.
Dynamic instantiation is a special syntax composed of the
class and tag of an object. If you record a testcase against a
GUI object for which there is no 4Test window declaration
(or if you want to write a testcase from scratch against such
an object), SilkTest uses dynamic instantiation to uniquely
identify that GUI object. This technique is ideal for testing
the more dynamic aspects of an application’s GUI.
Additionally, 4Test methods are available to interrogate the
object contents of a window or Web page. Most of these
methods return lists of objects that can subsequently be
iterated through, allowing users to process each object in
the list as needed. For instance, users can write a generic
link-testing capability simply by recursing through the
various links on each page of a Web site. Again, in this
scenario, there is no need to have SilkTest object declara-
tions for the numerous links; in fact, doing so would be
impractical.
Recognizing Custom Windows
SilkTest identifies objects by their class names and the
underlying software that creates and manipulates the
THE NEXT LEVEL:
object. When you record window declarations, if SilkTest
finds that a given object’s definition varies from what is
considered to be standard, for example the MFC library, it
designates the object as a custom window and assigns it to
the class CustomWin.
This may occur if a standard control was given a non-
standard name. For example, a standard text field control
might have been named EnterTextRegion instead of the
standard name TextField. In this case, you can simply class
map the control to the standard name. If, on the other hand,
the control is a custom control, that is, the software in the
application that creates and manipulates the object is not
from a standard library, a new class can be recorded to
recognize this control.
Creating Custom Automation Frameworks
For optimal automation, SilkTest offers users a rich library
of classes and functionality that can be extended in order to
provide an automation framework that promotes easier
development and maintenance of tests. Organizations that
pursue this methodology have the mindset that automation
development is akin to software development. In this
scenario, quality engineers might be tasked to build the
automation framework, creating custom classes and meth-
ods that encapsulate business and other reusable functions.
Based on this framework, business analysts, who are more
familiar with the Application Under Test, can focus on
creating new tests that leverage the automation framework.
Additionally, SilkTest can be used to build and run
keyword-driven test architectures, which are completely data
driven and use custom-defined keywords to launch scripts
and input test data. Quality assurance engineers build a
driver script, which calls scripts that match on keywords in
a spreadsheet. Each keyword is associated with reusable
business functions that run when the script encounters the
keyword. Since the spreadsheet contains all the input and
verification data, business analysts and testers can interact
with the spreadsheet to define tests, freeing up QA
engineers to create additional automation via new business
functions, if necessary, and keywords.
With its ability to provide users of any skill
level with the tools they need, SilkTest greatly
facilitates the transition from manual testing
to basic automation as well as more
sophisticated automation infrastructures.
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 11
MAINTAINING AUTOMATION: COPING
Applications are constantly changing. Much of the success
derived from automated testing is gained when little work is
required in modifying the automation to adapt to changes
made in the AUT. Some of the key components of SilkTest
that showcase its ability to help you cope with application
changes are:
„ Object-oriented scripting language
„ Customizable object abstraction layer
„ Separation of test objects from test code
„ Application states (appstates)
The benefits of object-oriented programming, chiefly those
related to maintainability, have long been touted by the soft-
ware industry. These same benefits also apply to automa-
tion developed with SilkTest. As mentioned earlier, some of
the most resilient and robust automation built by SilkTest
customers is focused on a logical object abstraction layer
that greatly improves the portability and minimizes the main-
tenance of the underlying automated tests. The frame or
include files that contain the 4Test object declarations ma-
WITH CHANGE
nipulated by tests define the object abstraction layer. The
objects themselves are tagged, either using default tagging
information set by the user or by custom tagging techniques.
Many of the changes to an application’s GUI require no
modifications to the object layer, such as simple relocation
of a control on the page or dialog that contains it. Other
GUI changes, such as changing a Web page to use a link
instead of a button, are reconciled in the object layer simply
by modifying the class portion of the appropriate object’s
tag; in this case, the object would change from a 4Test
HtmlPushButton to a 4Test HtmlLink. SilkTest also includes
the concept of application states, which can either be re-
corded or scripted and are typically used to capture repeated
application interactions. Both application states and actual
tests can be based on application states. This extraction of
the navigational aspects of a test insulates the test from
application changes and provides a single place in the auto-
mation that needs to stay synchronized with the applica-
tion.
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 12
RUNNING TESTS AND ANALYZING RESULTS
Running Tests
Once you have created your tests, there are a number of
ways to specify, from within the SilkTest GUI, what tests to
execute. If you are using testplans and have a testplan open
within SilkTest, you can use the testplan marking feature to
select for execution:
„ Individual tests
„ A collection of tests associated with specific attributes
„ The entire testplan
„ The failed tests when examining test execution results
Additionally, you can exploit the numerous data driven test
features within SilkTest to run a single test iteratively over
multiple data sets. If you are not using testplans, and you
have a script file that contains tests within it, you can choose
to run individual tests, or build a test driver script to control
what tests to execute. The driver script can be as basic as one
that contains hard-coded test case names and calls them –
similar to calling a 4Test function. Alternatively, the driver
can read data source information to determine what tests to
execute. An advanced feature is the use of the ’@’ reference
operator of SilkTest, which in this scenario would allow
for test names to be built dynamically and then called
to execute.
Results File
When you run a single test or a collection of tests, SilkTest
creates a results file. When a results file is the active
window in SilkTest, a Results menu appears that allows you
to manipulate the results file and locate errors. By default, a
results file displays a standard summary at the top of the
file, including the name of the script or testplan; the
machine the tests were run on; the number of tests run; the
number of errors and warnings, if any; actual errors; and
timing information. You can opt to show or hide this infor-
mation as needed. The results file also displays the
most current execution of the script or testplan. A history
mechanism is also provided to save multiple results sets.
To expedite results analysis, you can easily navigate from
the results file to identify failure sources, use the Bitmap tool
for analyzing application appearance errors and use the
Difference Viewer to evaluate application logic errors and
update, as needed, expected result values. Numerous capa-
bilities exist for managing results file information, such as
exporting the data for printing, sending the results to
SilkCentral Issue Manager, Segue’s issue tracking system,
and generating various reports.
Extending Results Access
SilkTest also provides a pre-built set of functions, option-
ally invoked by the Recovery System, that enable storing
test run information in a data source such as Microsoft
SQL Server. To complement this, the Results Viewer feature
provides standard ASP pages containing queries and
pre-built reports so that test results stored by these func-
tions are easily viewed in Internet Explorer.
Advanced Test Execution Processing
As mentioned above, SilkTest includes functions for use by
the Recovery System to store results information from test
executions in a data source. This is a specific example of
leveraging the hooks provided by the Recovery System.
However, users can define any type of functionality they
would like to have as part of test executions. For instance,
email notifications containing test status information,
including bitmap captures and any defect numbers, can be
sent to application developers to expedite application error
analysis. The 4Test library is rich with functions for obtain-
ing information about tests being executed, including test
name, script/testplan file name, arguments passed to the
test(s) and so forth. When you combine the built-in hooks
provided by the Recovery System and the openness of the
4Test scripting language, it is easy to see that SilkTest can be
molded to fit your organization’s goals for processing test
executions.
SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 13
SOFTWARE QUALITY OPTIMIZATION (SQO)
APPLICATION LIFECYCLE
Though functional and regression testing may be an initial
priority for your organization, quality does not begin and
end with functional testing. Ultimately, quality needs to ex-
tend to other areas such as requirements management, unit
testing, performance and load testing, test management and,
finally, application performance management (APM) once
the application is in production.
Segue’s SQO solutions enable companies to deploy high-
quality software, reduce the business risk associated with
poor quality applications and maximize return on software
and technology investments. Leading businesses around the
world, including many of the Fortune 500, rely on Segue’s
innovative Silk family of products to protect their business
service levels, competitive edge and brand reputation. And
because quality is not solely about implementing a test
automation product, Segue supports its SQO solutions with
THROUGHOUT THE
a full range of consulting, training and support services - all
designed to ensure the success of each customer's specific
quality initiatives.
SilkTest is one of the testing engines that integrate with the
SilkCentral Software Quality Optimization Platform. In
addition to SilkTest, Segue’s SQO offerings include:
„ SilkCentral Test Manager, for overall management of
quality activities
„ SilkCentral Issue Manager, for managing software
defects and their resolutions
„ SilkCentral Performance Manager, for application
performance management
„ SilkTest, for functional and regression testing
„ SilkPerformer, for load and performance testing
„ SilkPerformer Component Test Edition, for testing
remote components under concurrent access
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SPECIFIC SILKTEST I N T E G R A T I O N S
SilkTest seamlessly integrates with other Segue products
such as:
„ SilkCentral Test Manager for more advanced, process-
oriented test management that includes requirements
verification and validation, test execution scheduling
and reporting capabilities
„ SilkCentral Issue Manager for workflow-oriented issue
tracking
„ SilkPerformer for generation of load testing scripts
„ SilkCentral Performance Manager for driving critical
transactions that need to be monitored in a production
environment
SilkTest’s SilkPerformer recorder feature allows you to gen-
erate SilkPerformer scripts within SilkTest. The SilkTest
SilkPerformer recorder is a scaled-down version of
SilkPerformer’s Recorder. The benefits provided by this in-
tegration are substantial:
„ You save time and effort, by recording a functional
test and a load test that captures identical application
behavior at the same time.
„ You can prepare many load tests and then pass
them off to the few machines at your site
dedicated to heavy load testing.
„ If your company is anticipating the purchase of
SilkPerformer, you can have load tests ready
in advance of procuring the load testing solution.
SilkTest also integrates with Version Manager™ from
Serena™ (formerly known as Merant’s PVCS® Version
Control Manager) for managing test files and source code
control.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about SilkTest, including a product demonstration or product evaluation, please visit the SilkTest
product page on www.segue.com.

Segue, the Segue logo, SilkTest, 4Test and SilkPerformer are registered trademarks and Software Quality Optimization, SQO
and SilkCentral are trademarks of Segue Software, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright © July 2005 Segue Software. All rights reserved.

SilkTest Reviewer’s Guide 15