Software Quality Validation

Software Quality validation can be applied when software developed by 3^rd parties should be verified by an independent party. Such approach provides biggest advantages when the Customer has an open Service Delivery Platform for which an ecosystem of application providers exists. In such case establishing a common development framework and related processes allows different vendor to develop software which runs on the common platform, thus lowering operations costs: multiple services -> one platform -> single maintenance point. However, with such approach one independent party which takes care of platform maintenance should be selected.

ProIDS has practical experience with setup described above. We can validate 3^rd party software on a number of Service Delivery Platforms (runtime environments such as JSLEE, JEE, etc.), applying proven toolchain, processes and quality metrics.

Typically, Software Quality Validation is performed on two levels:

• Source Code Validation – delivered source code is analyzed using both, dedicated automated software quality tools as well as using manual code review. Depending on type of software, expected usage patterns and target runtime environment different aspects are prioritized. This validation level also contains verification of documentation provided with the software – completeness and correctness of documentation is checked.
• Stability Validation – delivered applications are deployed on target runtime environment, alongside with other services; next a series of automated tests is executed, generating load directed towards applications which behavior is observed. Multiple metrics can be used such as: response time, DB query time, resource usage – IO, CPU, Heap, etc.

Validation is performed in several iterations; after each iteration a report is produced which is delivered to the application provider so that corrections can be applied.

Thanks to the validation process the quality of software provided by 3^rd parties will reach a high, predefined level.