Test Data Management

Creating test datasets is a snap with the SuperVisor test data management facility. This SuperVisor feature extracts test data sets from live production. The extracted data is filtered so that only a tiny subset is created. This enables development and production support to create lots of test data sets without requiring lots of disk.

Managing these datasets is simple and intuitive. Data sets are organized in test profiles. Profiles can be organized by project, developer, development or training team or any scenario applicable to the user's situation. These profiles contain the drivers for creating, downsizing, and refreshing the data sets. Integrating data sets into Change Management environments to create data sets can also automatically provide support for repository, development, integration, and quality assurance. Profiles can also be copied and modified so that projects with similar requirements can be created with very little work. These features are flexible enough for any organizational structure applicable to IT's requirements, yet so simple to use, profiles can be established in minutes.

SuperVisor's downsizing approach makes it easy to shrink test dataset sizes while maintaining referential integrity. Downsizing is simplified, because only large files (usually 5%) need be considered. Thus, small files are simply incorporated into the dataset. Large files can be filtered directly or as the product of a "child" relationship to a filtered file. Filtering is done by entering query-like statements into the test profile. Parent/child relationships are only required for large child files.
 

Test Profiles

SuperVisor's Test Data Management facility manages the details of defining and populating test datasets. Each development project or subproject can have its own set of parameters and specifications that govern copying rules and dataset environments. A test data set can contain all files in the application, or only those involved in new or modified programs. It is up to you to decide what meets your requirements best.

SuperVisor supports 5 levels test data storage which corresponds with iSeries change management best practices. These are:

1. Production - The original source of test data files
2. Repository - A snapshot of test files created from production.
3. Development - Used by developers to test program changes.
4. Integration - Used for system testing after developers have completed their testing.
5. Quality Assurance - Used and controlled by the Quality Assurance Group.

Profile Features

• An unlimited number of test profiles can be created with its own profile description.
• Supports up to 25 libraries in each library list.
• Test profiles can be modified and refined to meet newly discovered data requirements of a project.
• Test profiles can be copied so that one profile can serve as a template then modified to meet the more specific requirements of a given project.
• Several profiles can derive data from a single repository or production file set so that subprojects can work from the same basic data source.
• Test datasets can be repopulated with a single menu option or command entry.
• Data Modeling techniques can be used to consolidate storage requirements and support referential integrity. (see: Test Data Modeling)