System Integration Testing: Strategies for Reducing Risk in Complex Systems
What is System Integration Testing (SIT)?
It is a software testing technique that is used to validate functionality and individual modules’ seamless interaction within a larger system. SIT is conducted by the development team right at the end of the software development process to ensure that the combined system performs optimally and thus meet the expectations of the client.
Incremental Integration testing: It involves adding individual modules systematically or as per the requirements, while a logical relationship is maintained between them. The dependencies between modules need to be considered and hence this process is considered to be crucial, as this testing approach makes sure that the data flow is seamless between these modules.
Incorporation and testing of two or more modules takes place, so that the seamless functioning of their respective features are verified. The testing process is carried out in an iterative manner, until all the modules consisting in the system have been properly tested.
Top-down approach: The testing process is initiated from the topmost module of an application. Stubs are used to perform the functionality of the underlying modules. The stub is replaced by the real module, once each test is completed. The modules can be integrated either in a depth-first or breadth-first manner.
Bottom-up approach: The challenges and limitations encountered in the top-down approach are eliminated by this approach. In this method, clusters are created by assembling the lowest-level modules. A sub-function of the application is served by clusters.
Hybrid approach: Both the bottom-up and top-down approaches are combined and tested. The categorization of system is done into three different layers - the middle layer is the target layer, one is below the target and another is above the target.
Non-incremental integration testing: It is a testing method wherein all the modules or units are integrated and tested simultaneously after they have been tested individually and checked. Through this approach, the system is tested comprehensively, redundant testing is prevented and resources and time are saved.
Big Bang approach: In this approach, integration is done to ensure that the required modules related to the application are done with. Testing can be performed once the integration process is completed to verify if the integrated systems are working as expected or not.
Conclusion: System integration testing has a strategic role to play in the software development and testing process. The team should know the working context of system integration testing for the purpose of optimizing the software testing activities.
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