Though technical achievements of the past 10 years are noteworthy and are said to be the fundamentals of the future, the real and shapeshifting invention is the Internet of Things also known as, IoT. It’s the everyday use of these technical achievements which enables us a more easy life. IoT is all about this. The FitBit bands you use, Automated agricultural equipment’s, Connected homes are the few examples of IoT applications.

By definition, IoT is like a system of various devices interconnected with the internet through software and applications. The said devices are basically vehicles, buildings, etc. These are embedded using electronic devices, software, microchips. This whole structure is designed to gather information through the software and to exchange it for better user experience. This is useful as it helps in reduction of cost, Improvement of Efficiency and optimized Operations.

Year by year, the importance of IoT in the global market is increasing. And this is why the need to test these IoT applications has been increased. Many companies and firms are now betting a lot of their hard work and money on this. The Quality assurance unit of every company now needs to up their game and manifest a comprehensive testing plan which covers all the aspects of IoT. It shall consider every element regarding IoT testing like different types of testing, test lab setup, Tools for testing etc. The approach to be taken for Data simulation and Virtualization should also be pre-decided. This will make sure that there are no minor obstacles related to Data analysis later.

Even after you do all the things mentioned above, some errors and problems can be seen inevitable in certain testing scenarios. We have listed down some of those errors for you to consider before testing. Check out the list below.

An IoT system is the integration of one or multiple devices by hardware and software. The data is collected and then exchanged and analyzed numerous times between interconnected devices in order to have a user-friendly system at work. Due to this, for the system to work smoothly, the software of various devices is to be tested.

So, the testing team can’t test only one of the devices as if there is any error in any other device, it will create chaos. Testing team should keep in mind that it has to test multiple IoT platform during the testing process.

To communicate with each other and the controllers and within the system, the IoT devices can be provided with various communications protocols. Some of them are as follows:

• Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)
• Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)
• Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP)

MQTT is the most popular one among these. It is known for its performance and high potential.

Most of the times, the transport layer is made up of an API. This API is generally based on JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) or XML.

Conducting automated tests using testing designs and various tools is one of the main and primary function of these APIs and Protocols.

The probability of security threats is increased in IoT devices as there are now multiple attack surfaces available for the threats to harm the device. Statistically, more than 70% of the IoT devices are vulnerable to security threats. This can be a bigger issue if not paid attention at the right time. Testing IoT software becomes eminent.

The password policy is to be strategized securely. The testers should consider this at the testing stage. One of the efficient and easy approaches towards this is to set up a compulsory change of password at the first access.

Various IoT apps and devices require more capabilities in the testing team. The testing team is required to have a thorough knowledge about all the aspects of the testing process and more. Due to the diversity in IoT software, a technically sound testing team becomes essential to the process.

If there is a dependency issue at the time of testing where the respective third part organization is not available for some reason, Virtualization of the system is also an efficient option. It cancels out all the dependency issues.

Network issues are commonly faced by the users of interconnected IoT devices. Overload on WiFi channels, Defective network hardware, Inconsistent or Slow Internet connections and many more. To remove these issues and ensure a smooth functioning, the testing of these devices should be done in various complex situations. The testers should check if any data is lost during the process.

The testers should keep in mind that their focus should be on Test-As-A-User (TAAS) and not on testing as per the requirements.

The approach to conduct IoT testing varies from system to system but it is important for the testers to ensure that they keep their focus on The testers need to test and make sure that the functioning of the network of devices is optimum. He/She should consider various factors like operation systems, firmware, and protocols etc. Don’t get intimated by the complexity of the task but face it with all the resources you have.

In IoT, one can literally control his practical life with a single touch on her/his mobile. Automation will become easier with the help of IoT techniques and everything will become handy. Because as you all know, IoT is the future of our day-to-day lifestyle.

At VTEST we work with utmost dedication, sincerity and efficiency to help our clients achieve what they need. The testing solution we offer are seamless, precise and discreet in nature. With a wide range of intelligent and technically sound testers, we facilitate various types of testings with each type studied and applied in-depth.

Always, looking ahead of our time, VTEST will help you with testing solutions which will help your software to be the future.

Dont just Test, Let’s VTEST!

About VTEST

VTEST is an independent software testing company catering to product and service teams across the globe. We are a team of software testers who are passionate about quality and love to test. We develop an in-depth understanding of the applications under test and include software testing services strategies that deliver quantifiable results.

In short, we help in building incredible software.