Web Services Test Automation: Framework, challenges & benefits

1
Web Services Test Automation Framework,
Challenges Benefits
2
Introduction Web services provide a standard
means of interoperating between software
applications running on a variety of platforms
and frameworks. These services form the basis of
a connection technology such that services are
connected together into a Service Oriented
Architecture (SOA). Further, services communicate
with each other using web services, the mostused
connection technology of SOA. Web services
effectuate a standardized way of integrating
web-based applications using XML, Simple Object
Access Protocol (SOAP), Web Services Description
Language (WSDL), and UDDI open standards over an
internet protocol.  A web service is offered by
an electronic device to another electronic
device, communicating with each other via the
World Wide Web. It is also true that a failed web
service wreaks havoc not only for the managers
but also for the administrators who are
responsible for the servers wellbeing. A
failure also causes problems for the clients
trying to call a particular web service.  
3

• The most important primary elements of web
  services are repository, messaging, and service.
  Since web services are distributed over networks
  and applications, the testing requirements need
  to be inclusive of the interfaces.  
• Web services are inherently vulnerable to
  additional risks in the areas of integration and
  interoperability. They can be implemented using
  any programming language on any platform,
  provided that a standardized XML interface
  description called WSDL is available. A
  standardized messaging protocol called SOAP is
  also used at the same time. Web services often
  run over HTTP but may run over other application
  layer transport protocols as well. Automating web
  services testing facilitates the reduction of
  overall testing efforts. 
• What are the challenges faced by web services? 
• Lack of assurance of trustworthiness 
• Improper provision of clients input parameters 
• Malicious users can manipulate the different
  parameters at times to draw unauthorized
  information 
• Unavailability of source code hinders white-box
  testing 

4

Web Services Testing   Web services provide
seamless connections from one software
application to another over private intranets and
the Internet. Web services testing considers
functionality and load aspects to check how
a web service performs for single clients and
scales as the number of clients accessing it
increases.    Testing of web services is useful
to prevent late detection of errors, which
requires complex and costly repairs. It enables
the detection of errors, evaluation, and approval
of system qualities at an earlier stage. An
automated test approach, in particular, helps to
efficiently repeat tests whenever needed. In
particular, test automation will be essential to
a sound and efficient web services development
process, for the assessment of the functionality,
performance, and scalability of web services.  Re
ad Full Blog at https//www.cigniti.com/blog/web-
services-test-automation-framework-challenges-and-
benefits/
5