Internet of Things or IoT is the latest buzzword in tech. IoT in its basics is a system of interconnected vehicles, home appliances, buildings, medicinal equipment, health monitors or any other electronic equipment having embedded electronics, microchips and other components. There is the collection and exchange of data and the users can also control the devises and settings remotely. As leading iot testing experts, Grhombustech.com delivers some key insights and inputs in the article below.
Examples of IoT
Some examples of IoT we encounter in everyday life are
- Remote monitoring of traffic signals, tool collection etc
- Wearable devices that capture health status and synchronize automatically with the mobile devices
- Automatic switch on and off of street lights and control of traffic signals
As with all things, any system will need to be tested to ensure that it is working as intended.
The importance of IOT testing is to ensure
- To ensure reliability of the solutions
- To ensure all bugs are fixed before final delivery
- To ensure performance and reduce flaws
- To identify defects in hardware or software before installation
- To improve overall quality
- To understand the severity of problems encountered and roll out a fix.
The major factors in IOT testing include but are not limited to
1. Usability Testing
The users are the kings who decide the success or failure of a product. Usability testing is the practise of testing to see how useable a device, system or product is within a representative group of users. Users have different needs, aspirations, mindsets and expectations. It gives an idea of how much users enjoyed using the product, any problems encountered and the severity and whether users can independently handle the product or solution without external help. Useability testing thus helps to iron out all kinks and ensures that a successful product can be delivered.
2. Compatibility Testing
This is more of a common-sense approach. When we talk of so many devices and interconnections, it is essential to ensure the compatibility. When there are different hardware and software configurations and multiple products from different manufacturers, it is important to conduct a compatibility test to ensure smooth roll out of the solution.
3. Security Testing
With such large amounts of data floating around, it is important that device security, user security and data security be maintained at all levels. For example, if a third-party were to breach the controls in a power plant run by IoT automation, then the results can be catastrophic. Security testing is a comprehensive term for both the device, as well as the networks and data. Hence, security testing needs to be undertaken at all levels to ensure identification of injectable points and formulation of threat mitigation strategies.
4. Performance Testing
When the whole IoT is set up, it will be a complete failure if the solution does not perform as intended as a whole. With so many moving parts and connections, it is easy to lose track of this vital point. These points cover the rapidity of the communication network as well as the internal computation capabilities and ease of code execution.
The best method will be to benchmark the performance against the intended values and tune the systems accordingly. Sometimes, as the IoT implementation is scaled up, there may be performance issues encountered. Hence, prudent planning can help you overcome any challenges.
The above are only some of the major testing areas and more details and testing aspects will be shared in the upcoming blogs.
Why Grhombustech?
Grhombustech is a leading software testing company in UK and has the best iot testing experts on its rolls. We bring a layered approach to any IoT solution. Our segment-wise approach ensures that we bring 100% coverage to all IoT systems, right from the hardware and network to the data storage, cloud and final application.
This comprehensive approach has helped us win the admiration of clients and we have emerged to be a leading software development company in UK. Apart from IoT, we also have expertise in a range of services and areas including Devops, Salesforce, EdTech and Cyber security.