What is Testing as a Service (TaaS)?

Companies use the outsourcing approach known as “Testing as a Service” in short “TaaS” to test their products prior to deployment. The application is tested to find flaws in simulated real-world environments. Testing solutions are provided by a third-party service provider with testing knowledge rather than internal employees of the organization. 

Prerequisite: Software Testing

Over conventional testing environments, TaaS has been shown to have substantial advantages. TaaS is a highly scalable approach, which is its main advantage. Small businesses and corporations don’t have to worry about finding empty space for servers or other infrastructure because it is a cloud-based delivery strategy.

Features of TaaS

• Test library: Test library with a large set of test cases, and full security controls with configurable parameters that can be used as templates and customized for various user scenarios.
• Metering capability: This allows tracking and charging for the services used by the customers.
• Community-driven: The testing library grows as the vendor and community of users add new test cases thus improving the overall utility of the TaaS platform.
• On-demand availability: On-demand availability for test labs includes the ability to deploy complex multi-tier applications, test scripts, and test tools. It follows a subscription model where instead of investing in dedicated technologies organizations consume the resources as needed on a subscription basis.
• Cloud hardware resource pool: Sharing of the cloud hardware resource pool is facilitated by abiding by security policies to maximize hardware utilization.
• Self-service portal: It provides a self-service portal for running applications for load and functional tests.
• Short turnaround: Multiple tests can be conducted continuously and in parallel which is suitable for the DevOps SDLC pipeline.
• Testing cycle support: In this model, vendors offer end-to-end support that covers planning, implementing, and evaluating software tests.
• External expertise: Finding the right set of technology solutions, designing test cases, and managing infrastructure operations to meet business demands.

Why use TaaS?

Below are some of the reasons for using TaaS:

• Avoid infrastructure cost: TaaS is used when there is a need to avoid overhead infrastructure costs.
• Tests include repetitive tasks: When the tests include repetitive tasks that are otherwise a time drain for in-house employees.
• Lack of skilled personnel: TaaS is beneficial in situations when there is a lack of skilled personnel or resources necessary for testing.
• Need unbiased tester: When there is a need for unbiased testers with limited business domain knowledge then TaaS is a perfect fit.
• Quick testing: TaaS can be used in situations when there is a need to complete quick or special testing outside of the ordinary routine.

How does TaaS Works?

Generally, the company hires a third party to conduct all the testing procedures that are essential for any business model. The organization buys everything from TaaS providers that are required such as testing tools, testing software, and infrastructure. TaaS could seek out one piece of the testing procedure, like a platform, a mix of computer code and infrastructure, or the outsourcing of a whole department. Despite the form TaaS takes, it involves a provider assuming some portion of the organization’s testing responsibilities.

• TaaS could also be used for an automated testing process that might manually take longer for in-house employees to complete manually.
• It may also be utilized in things once the client organization does not have the resources to perform testing themselves. 
• The resource could also be time, money, employees, or technology.
• Basically, under the control of  TaaS, a scenario and an environment are created to do the test.
• TaaS is not an option for organizations that require highly in-depth knowledge of the company’s infrastructure.

The following activities are involved in TaaS:

1. Create user scenario: The user scenario and environment are created to do the test.
2. Design test: The test is designed to evaluate the company’s response to the user scenario.
3. Execute test: The test is executed in the secure test environment provided by the vendor.
4. Monitor performance: The vendor monitors the performance and evaluates the company’s ability to meet the goals specified in the test design.
5. Improve system: The vendor and company work together to improve the system or product being tested to improve the future performance of the system.

When to Use TaaS?

TaaS is useful when organizations are in need of the following cases:

• Automation required: Extensive automation is required for testing applications within a limited amount of time.
• No need for in-depth data: A testing task does not need in-depth data on the company’s infrastructure.
• Testing not performed regularly: Testing activities are not performed on a regular basis using extensive resources.

Types of TaaS

• Cloud Testing as a Service: TaaS provider checks all cloud services used by the organizations.
• Functional Testing as a Service: TaaS purposeful Testing could embody UI/GUI Testing, regression, integration, and automatic User Acceptance Testing (UAT) however not necessary to be a part of purposeful testing.
• Load Testing as a Service: TaaS test the estimated volume of the software used.
• Performance Testing as a Service: Multiple users are accessing the appliance at an identical time. TaaS mimic a real-world user setting by making virtual users and playacting the load.
• Quality Assurance Testing as a Service: The vendors ensure a product that meets the company’s requirements.
• Security Testing as a Service: TaaS scans the applications and websites for any vulnerability to check malware and virus attacks.
• Penetration Testing as a Service: TaaS seller tests the company’s security natural virtue against cyber threats by performing mock activity attacks.

Types of Testing Outsourced with TaaS

Different companies or organizations depending upon their need can choose different types of outsourcing from Taas which under the category of functional and non-functional are as follows:-

• Data warehouse testing: It is the process of developing and running detailed test cases to ensure that the data in a warehouse is trustworthy, accurate, and compatible with the organization’s data structure.
• Load Testing: In order to assess if a system, piece of software, or computing equipment can manage high loads given a high demand from end-users, load testing investigates how the system acts under normal and high loads.
• Performance Testing: It is a type of testing that assesses the responsiveness, speed, and stability of a computer, network, software program, or device when subjected to a workload.
• Regression Testing: It is a sort of testing that ensures that changes made to the codebase do not change existing program functioning. These code updates might involve adding resolving problems, new features, or upgrading an existing feature.
• Security Testing: It is a sort of software testing that identifies system vulnerabilities and ensures that the system’s data and resources are secure from potential invaders.
• Acceptance Testing: It is a quality assurance (QA) technique that assesses how well an application meets the approval of end users. Beta testing,  field testing, application testing, or end-user testing are all examples of acceptance testing.

TaaS over Cloud

In Cloud, TaaS occurs in the following steps:

• Develop various possible user scenarios.
• Design and validate the various critical test scenarios.
• Select a cloud service provider.
• Establish the needed infrastructure.
• Exploit cloud service.
• Begin the testing.
• Monitor and track the required goals.
• Deliver with high accuracy.

Traditional Services Vs TaaS

Parameters	Traditional Services	Testing as a Service
Time Requirement	Time-consuming as testing tools and infrastructure have to be installed.	Less time-consuming as testing tools and infrastructure are provided by the cloud itself.
Investment Required	Investment of cost is higher than TaaS.	Investment of cost is lower.
Test Validation	Some test cases are not validated properly in some scenarios.	Test cases are so flexible and validated correctly.
Test Tools	Test tools are manually purchased.	Test tools are available on demand.
Test Documentation	Test documentation is done manually.	Test documentation is done dynamically.
Test Assets	Test assets are done manually.	Test assets are generated dynamically.
Test Environment	The test environment is manually created.	The test environment is created on demand.
Test Data	Test data is manually generated.	Test data is dynamically sanitized.
Business Domain Knowledge	Business domain knowledge is manually extracted.	Business domain knowledge is extracted dynamically.

TaaS Use Cases

• A company may hire a vendor to test their existing Disaster Recovery Plan as companies often tend to neglect disaster recovery testing because it does not directly generate revenue, and IT teams often have strict deadlines with other issues like complex IT environments.
• A company may hire a vendor to penetration test its network. The vendor delivers automated testing through a TaaS delivery model that allows end users to view test data in real-time. Users can then use these real-time results and reference a library of remediation instructions to improve security.

TaaS Vendors and Providers

• QA Mentor: It provides around 56 automation tools among which User Acceptance Testing, User Experience, Blockchain Testing, IoT Testing, Machine Learning Testing, and Performance Testing are the most popular.
• Amazon Web Services: A large variety of third-party testing solutions are available on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) market. AWS also provides native Quality Assurance (QA) tools. 
• LoadStorm: Cloud-based load testing for mobile and web applications is available from LoadStorm. 
• Testlio: It provides a variety of services which includes Regression testing, Exploratory testing, Localization testing, Mobile Testing, Functional testing, Usability testing, and Automated testing.
• Neustar: It offers DIY QA tools that assist software developers in testing traffic capacity prior to the introduction of the software product in order to eliminate bottlenecks. 
• Oracle: It offers services for functional, load, and automated testing. 
• iBeta: It offers a very large range of software QA services. Its are helpful for a small startup and even for a very big company.
• Qualitest: Performance testing, security testing, mobile testing, and test automation are all done with Qualitest.
• Hcl: Hcl provides a testing solution that is very industry specific. It provides specialized testing services.
• AppPerfect: Offers Functional and regression testing services.
• Azure Test Plan: Offers Azure DevOps to deploy the software and test the application.
• TestSigma: Provides AI-driven SaaS automation tools to test the software product.
• WireShark: Offers Quality Analyst tools to test the software.

Benefits of TaaS

• Fast delivery: TaaS vendors deliver the desired product before time through rapid procurement, project set-up, and execution.
• Reduced prices: Organizations do not ought to host the infrastructure or pay personnel. No licensing fees or personnel fees.
• Less-biased testers: A third party with restricted information about the merchandise or company does the testing activity. In-house workers don’t interfere with it.
• Pay-as-you-go valuation: Corporations pay money for solely what they use.
  Less commitment to memory maintenance: In-house IT workers can have less commitment to memory maintenance work.
• Quicker Returns: With the help of TaaS, organizations receive a fast return on investments by eliminating the investments made after the maintenance, software licensing, etc.
• High handiness: TaaS suppliers generally provide 24/7 service.
• High flexibility: Corporations will simply change their service arrangement as their wants amendment.
• Scalability: TaaS offerings will be adjusted to suit the dimensions of the company.