BATCH AND TRANSACTIONAL TEST

Conversion Migration automates many of the repetitive task associated with generating job control language, generating database unload, format and load programs, translating programs, translating screens, translating reports and converting databases and files. Conversion Migration produces new programs functionally equivalent to the old programs, but stripped of dependency on the old language, database or computer. It can even restructure programs and database access with uniform standards. The transformation process also limits the redundancy and expansion of code.

For each combination of source and target programs, a certain number of tests are necessary to check all program conditions. An insufficient number of tests during unit migration only postpones this requirement until the implementation phase, where runs are longer and more costly. Conversion Migration stresses the discovery and correction of errors during unit testing and not during production runs.

For every test, Conversion Migration compares the output of the transformed program with the converted output of the original program and flags any mismatches for the correction. Every function represented by the test data is therefore present and working in the converted program. We make sure that the migrated programs will produce output functionally equivalent to that produced by the original programs.

Conversion Migration will add code to the existing programs to ensure that data and results are captured. In TP systems, this will capture screen input and response. In batch systems this will capture only records that cause a different path to be taken. The system will show the person responsible how much code has been exercised so that extra, necessary test data can be added. This test data will then be played back after migration to ensure adequate code coverage. Conversion Migration will then provide support while other tests are occurring. For each program, the system will show that the program was tested and how much of the code was tested.

MIGRATION PROCESS FOR BATCH TEST

3 types of test units are envisaged: the program (single test), the job (job test), a group of jobs (chain test). The type of test unit is determined according to criteria like: the number of files updated by the programs of the test. The problem is how to identify the location of update errors (which program), the environment constraints like disk spaces or number of databases, ...

The preparation stage consists of including in the preparation environment the capture of input and updated files before the unit to be tested (before images) and the capture of updated and output files after this unit (after images). The capture will be done by standard utilities. Usually the captured files, called reference files, are gathered on one or more "dumped" files (tapes) for a batch of programs. After defining the constraints in production environment, the necessary JCL will be generated by Conversion Migration preparation tools.

The tests stage consists in restoring the reference files in the test environment, executing the translated program of the test unit and comparing the resultant files with the after image reference files. This is done by a job related to the unit to be tested generated by Conversion Migration translation tools.

MIGRATION PROCESS FOR TRANSACTIONAL TEST

The preparation stage consists in:

Defining the necessary scenarios in order to tests the batched programs
Capturing the "before image" files before executing a scenario
Capturing the before and after panel images while executing the scenario, in a readable text format for the following tests stage
Capturing the "after image" files after execution of the scenario

The tests stage consists in:

Restoring the reference files
Executing the scenario with the translated components according to the scenario
Comparing the resultant screen images to the reference images
Comparing the resultant files to the reference files

MIGRATION PHASES

PRELIMINARY STUDY PHASE

DETAILED STUDY PHASE

PROTOTYPE PHASE

TRANSLATION PHASE

IMPLEMENTATION PHASE