Thursday, February 16, 2017

Do You Need to Test Your Cloud Applications?

By: David Schuchman
       Princeton Technology Advisors, LLC
       Innovative Solutions for Your Growing Business


Software accessed via the "Cloud" is a deployment model that provides access to software remotely. It may also be referred to simply as SaaS or as hosted applications. Since the software is vendor-hosted remotely, it removes the need for organizations to program, install, buy a lot of hardware for and regularly maintain the software.

Even though the implementation is a cloud-based, do you still to test the software? Yes, and here's why...

Risk Management
Testing verifies that the software and its delivery meet all of your requirements including functional, performance, security, integration and so on. This verification is done to ensure that you, along with the cloud vendor, have implemented the system correctly and as expected. In addition, testing validates that the system is what the user needs. In the end, validation is performed to help with risk management.

Meets User Needs
Functional testing is the most apparent tool you will have to validate that the product meets your corporate needs. The requirements are the foundation in effective functional testing. Using the original requirements, you can plan and manage tests that are focused on your specific business and user functional needs. Involve the user, either by them directly performing the tests or have them review and sign-off on the test results.

Performance Meets Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Load and Stress testing are a methods used to simulate real life scenario of a given system. It involves testing in real time beyond normal operational capacity in order to observe the results. Have anticipated metrics in place (e.g. maximum number of simultaneous users/connections, number of transaction per second, internet throughput, etc.). Then, measure your test results against the agreed upon performance. Work with the vendor to optimize performance that does not meet your specifications.

Meet's Security Requirements
Mitigating eternal security threats is a huge concern with cloud based software applications. You will rely on the security measures put in place by the vendor, which are largely outside of your control. You need to validate that the product meets the same password change control and user level security that your organization has set for itself. In addition, you need to continually monitor that the vendor is adhering to its own security protection (virus and malware protection, etc.). The level and types of security that you expect from the vendor must be put in the SLA and reviewed regularly by you.

Data Integration with Other Systems
If one of your requirements is data integration with other systems within your inventory, you need to validate that the input and/or output work as agreed. Don't assume that when cloud-based applications use standard data interface files (e.g. CSV, XML, etc.) that the field formats delivered will match those of the other systems. Testing of standard files must be done with the same level of diligence as for or custom interfaces. If you requested custom interface files for your implementation, be sure your contract with the vendor specifies that they will maintain the interface format for as long as you are a customer, and not just the length of the current contract.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Consensus – Sounds Easy to Achieve. But Is It?

By: Tom Callahan
       Only Seniors, LLC
       Crisis Manager and Consultant

“Why can’t we all just get along?” was the plea issued by Rodney King during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.  He made simplistic request to try to quell the violence all around him.  When it comes to making Elder Care decisions for loved ones, family members don’t always agree and then chaos ensues. 

At the heart of the matter, is an elderly person who needs help.  When multiple people have a say in the decision making process that means multiple opinions on the “right course of action.”  This can lead to some heated exchanges as the dynamic switches away from the elderly person’s needs to an individual trying to prove his/her point. 

Guess what – IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!  So stop trying to make it so.  Unless you are a health care or senior living professional, realize that you don’t know the best course of action based solely on your relationship with your elder loved one. 

Your job is to find solutions.  Finding solutions means asking questions.  Asking questions means consulting someone who has been through this process or someone who works in the elder care field.  Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak or have failed.  It means that you are big enough to admit you don’t have all the answers and could use a little guidance.  It means that you want to do the right thing and get your elder loved one the help that he/she needs and deserves.

Start the process by agreeing to the following:
  • Agree to work together
  • Agree to discuss different opinions without making it personal
  • Agree to ask questions and seek options
  • Agree to disagree but still continue on working toward a solution
Learn about different elder care options.  Smart aging never gets old.