Reverse Testing
Ulrich Habel <rhaen@cpan.org>

Genesis
● Enterprise Content Management System
iwserver: 6.7.1 Build 67998 Interwoven 20070828
● The server won't start if configuration
files contain umlauts

Who is responsible for testing
● Every phase inside a project has its own
test phase
● Tests usually check for success not for
failure
● Who is helping the manager of an
application

Testing of software
Administrator
Specification Development User
Application
Manager

Status „Reverse Testing“
● Project just to be designed
● Project checking for its goals
● Interested anyone?
...just starting...

What is reverse testing
● Reverse Testing checks for a known error
● Reverse Testing should assist in
installations
● Reverse Testing is for the application
management
● Reverse Testing will be more a framework
than real code

What are the challenges?
● Application Management (ITIL v3)
● Diagnostics for services like installation,
configuration
● Useful for everyone who provides a
service

Solution of the XML problem
● Usage of Test::Harness
● Validate the XML files
● Usage of TAP::Formatter::HTML

The framework structure
● The structure should remain this way
● Should be run outside of
Perl
● Documentation is
included in the tests and
configuration files

What's happening when...
● Tests will be placed in the „t“ directory
● Configuration will be placed in the „conf“
directory
● A test will happen if the config file exists
● Output will be stored inside the „html“
directory

How can it be controlled?
● Shell access is required
● „make“ - that's improvable!
● To be planned: webserver using
HTTP::Simple

Output format
TAP::Formatter::HTML
● Example of a test

Possible tests to be
implemented
● Check for Solaris packages
● Locale Checks
● Application Connection Tracking
(Firewalls)
● Checking for permissions (SELinux, policy-
kit)
● Checking Perl module versions

Rules
● A test can be 0 or 1
● The error has to be known
● The test will document the result
● Configuration files must include examples
● Configuration files have to be validated

CPAN - Modul
● I am working it...
● Let's exchange tests!

Questions?
● Ask them!
git clone git://pkgbox.org/reverse­testing.git
http://www.pkgbox.org/Perl