With the advantages cloud storage offers over on-premise or traditional storage, we will continue to witness more migration of organizational resources to the cloud. As this trend continues unabated, there is a growing need for cloud automation testing across businesses that have migrated or are about to migrate their resources to the cloud. More cloud testing tools are hitting the software market, ensuring that organizations overcome issues that may affect the quality of their cloud-based applications. This article will take you through the top cloud testing tools you can adopt for your cloud-based applications in 2022.
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What is a cloud testing tool?
A cloud testing tool offers organizations a form of automated software assessment that utilizes cloud computing resources to test the performance of their software applications. It checks the overall performance of cloud resources to ensure that every element runs efficiently. Cloud testing tools also help organizations to evaluate cloud-based applications for functional and non-functional requirements.
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Additionally, cloud testing tools are designed to produce a virtual replica of cloud-based resources to test for efficiency in elements such as latency, compatibility, security and overall infrastructure performance.
Benefits of using cloud testing tools
Low Cost
Testers can attest that the ownership cost of cloud-based testing tools is much lower than that of traditional testing resources. In cloud testing, testers can easily reuse the components used in the test environments. In other words, you do not need many hardware requirements to conduct cloud-based testing of your cloud resources. These tools also allow testing teams to utilize tools with no-licensing cost.
Virtualization
The use of cloud-based tools brings about the benefits of virtualization. To be more specific, businesses have the opportunity to utilize their resources in a way that maximizes effective testing. As applications become more complicated, virtualization becomes absolutely necessary.
Continuous access to cloud resources
Cloud testing enables users of cloud-based applications to have uninterrupted access to their applications even during testing. This unbroken access enables them to fulfill consumer needs promptly. Furthermore, early in the software development lifecycle, testers can spot errors.
Additionally, cloud-based environments enable testing teams to effectively have a wider test coverage in a short time because teams can log in to the testing platform wherever they are and begin testing when needed.
Easier disaster recovery
In case of hardware or storage malfunction, the backup recovery process for on-premise systems has never been easy due to the additional cost required for recovery, upgrades and maintenance. However, with the availability of cloud testing software tools, organizations can easily recover their valuable information or assets in just a few clicks. This is mainly because the information is also stored on many servers: If one gets bad, cloud engineers can easily switch to the other servers to bring back the information.
Facilitates DevOps
DevOps derives its relevance from automation, and cloud testing makes enough provision for it. In addition, cloud testing enhances DevOps teams in the following ways: Remote monitoring, easy deployment, reconfigurations and deployment of cloud applications, automation of test reporting, easy user access to feedback and more. It’s safe to say that cloud testing helps reduce the bottlenecks in cloud monitoring, testing and resolution of issues with cloud resources.
Key features of cloud testing tools
Picking the best cloud-based automation testing tools for your DevOps teams can be daunting without knowing some key features to consider. Let’s take a look at some features to consider before making a selection.
It should have dynamic user activities mapping
Ensure that the tool you pick can document, upload, edit and maintain user activities right inside the testing tool. This feature will help your team have comprehensive information on who changed what and why.
Cross-browser and cross-device automation
If you’re ready to pick a cloud testing tool for your organization, check to be sure that the tool can automate testing across different devices. Your product users use your software products on different devices. Hence, your testing tool should be able to test for performance across different devices.
There should be a central knowledge repository
Check to find out if your preferred cloud tool can store results and information in a central repository. This is important as this central repository will function as the single source of truth to any information sought. Having a tool that stores information in a central repository also ensures that vital information is not duplicated into several versions using other storage devices.
Availability of support
Dig deep to find out what support services are available for any tool you wish to check. Some cloud-testing platforms offer better support than others. This factor is crucial as your team may run into issues in the middle of testing and may need to contact support for quicker resolution.
Best cloud testing tools for cloud-based applications
Here are the top cloud-based testing tools in 2022, curated based on popularity, reviews and available features.
1. Akamai CloudTest
CloudTest is a cloud-performance testing platform that can provide automated and intelligent real-time testing on cloud infrastructures. Akamai CloudTest can be a good choice for DevOps teams looking to use a test engine that can replicate real-life performance scenarios. Regardless of the test load, CloudTest can easily pick and record issues within your applications with speed.
With CloudTest, DevOps can access in-depth analytics machines that can test and analyze different simulated load sizes for an immediate result. Apart from having the capacity to test enterprise networks and cloud applications, the CloudTest analytic machines can also test APIs, websites’ backend performance, and databases.
Features:
- The service allows teams to easily set and re-use test parameters without writing any line of code.
- CloudTest can run a testing cycle even in production, generating real-life performance results.
- The tool provides a customizable dashboard, allowing teams to set their test requirements accordingly.
- Continuous integration is also supported in the tool. As such, you can easily get app performance feedback and know when and where to add changes to your application.
2. CloudQA
CloudQA offers quality assurance as a service through automated web testing. The tool provides some excellent features for teams that prefer to create test cases through logical grouping. In addition, the tool offers a fast way to get started with site monitoring, load testing without needing any extensive setup or installation from the testing team. DevOps teams who prefer a codeless testing method can also count on CloudQA to provide such.
In other words, CloudQA also makes automated regression testing provisions, making it possible to save more resources and enhance scalability.
Features:
- It reduces the amount of time spent writing codes for your tests; hence, with limited coding knowledge, you can use the tool.
- The tool enables you to schedule your regression test.
- It offers a team collaboration feature to help different teams work together.
- The tool offers quick deployment with minimal setup.
3. AppPerfect
AppPerfect is a cloud-based tool mostly used by quality assurance teams and cloud developers for automated testing on web-based applications. This tool offers features that make it easy to ensure quality functional compliance in cloud infrastructures of any size. This testing tool also supports testing across multiple operating systems and frameworks.
Features:
- The service offers recording and replaying abilities across web browsers.
- Comes with features that support collaborative testing for different teams.
- It can generate a huge number of test cases in a short time.
- The tool supports the distribution of test scripts across various machines, making multiple script configurations and test execution easy.
4. Cloudsleuth
Cloudsleuth is a cloud-based testing tool that provides an easy way to test, monitor and record the performance of web applications. The tool also allows users to share their test results with other team members so that they can collaborate more effectively.
Furthermore, Cloudsleuth allows organizations to easily simulate real user traffic and load conditions on their web applications. The tool also provides a wide range of features for analyzing and troubleshooting web application performance issues.
Features:
- Cloudsleuth is designed to be easy to use, with a user-friendly interface that makes it simple to get started with load testing.
- The tool is highly flexible, allowing users to customize their load testing scenarios to match their specific needs.
- Cloudsleuth allows users to simulate real user traffic, making it possible to test how web applications will perform under peak loads.
5. Nessus
Nessus is one of the popular cloud-based testing tools designed to help testers with comprehensive security assessments. The tool offers a wide range of features and capabilities, including network discovery, server hardening and compliance checking.
With Nessus, you have a cost-effective way of reducing your organization’s risk of a data breach. Plus, the tool is easy to use and can also scan for vulnerabilities in your applications, including those that are web-based applications.
Features:
- The service provides users with the ability to scan for and manage vulnerabilities, including the option to schedule scans, view scan results and export reports.
- Nessus can help organizations to ensure compliance with industry standards such as PCI DSS, SOX and HIPAA.
- Nessus is an agentless scanning tool, which means that it does not require the installation of any agents on your devices or systems to run.
- The tool can also be used to scan web applications for vulnerabilities, including SQL injection and cross-site scripting.
- Nessus offers a flexible licensing model that allows users to pay for only the features they need.
6. Wireshark
Wireshark is an open-source network performance tool and has been around for many decades. It was first released as a packet capture tool but through many updated versions, the tool now has the features to help network administrators automate the testing of data transmitted across a network.
Wireshark also has a graphical user interface and can run conveniently on multiple operating systems such as Windows, Linux and macOS.
Features:
- Ability to export data in different formats such as XML, PostScript and CVS format
- Provides a real-time view of all data being transmitted across the network
- Analyzes network protocols and highlights them by port number
- Offers decrypting feature for different levels of encryption
7. Testsigma
Testsigma is a cloud-based test automation tool that uses AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to make the process of creating, maintaining and executing tests easier for testers. As a result, this tool will be ideal for organizations that want to get started with test automation but lack the technical expertise on their team.
With Testsigma, you can take advantage of the AI-powered test case generation and maintenance feature. The tool also offers continuous integration and delivery support. This implies that your team can focus on other aspects of application development while the tool ensures that the quality of your product is up to par.
Features:
- The tool uses simple English commands to generate test cases, meaning you don’t need to have much technical expertise to use the tool.
- The tool can automatically update and maintain your test cases, eliminating the need to waste time on mundane tasks.
- Testsigma also integrates with popular CI/CD tools.
- The tool supports multiple programming languages, making it easy for you to integrate it into your tech stack.
8. Jenkins
Jenkins is an open-source, self-contained automation testing tool written in Java that can be used to automate all stages of the software development process. In addition, the tool has numerous plugins that enable it to work with most programming languages, making it one of the most versatile cloud-based testing tools.
Features:
- You can use Jenkins to distribute work across multiple machines, helping you to speed up the testing process.
- The tool can be used as a continuous integration server to automate the build and test process.
- Testers can use Jenkins to generate reports that give you insights into the testing process.
- The tool is highly extensible and can be customized using plugins to fit the specific needs of your organization.
9. Watir
Watir is an open-source tool that can automate web browsers for testing purposes. The cloud-based testing tool interacts with a browser like humans do: Clicking links, filling out forms and verifying content.
It is simple and easy to use for first-time users, and can be used for regression testing. Additionally, it can also be used to catch issues in your applications, such as functional bugs, UI bugs and performance issues.
Features:
- Watir is an open-source tool. As a result, it is continuously updated and improved by the community.
- Watir can simulate keyboard and mouse events to automate web browsers.
- Watir supports multiple web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Opera.
- Watir can be used to test web applications on multiple devices, including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets.
10. Blazemeter
Blazemeter is a flexible, open-source, easy-to-use cloud testing tool that supports testing at any stage of the software development lifecycle. It provides a non-clustered user interface, making it easy to read and understand test reports.
Furthermore, Blazemeter makes it possible to capture volatile customer interaction and how your application’s capacity to respond in such situations. Additionally, test teams can use Blazemeter to develop custom test scenarios and workflows, configure performance testing parameters and arrival rates.
Features:
- The tool offers a great performance reporting feature that can cover such metrics as response time percentile and real-time system defects.
- Blazemeter also offers powerful integration ability, one of which is its seamless integration with Apache Jmeter.
- It also allows teams to carry out parallel speed tests on applications.
11. AWS Device Farm
Formerly known as AppThwack, AWS Device Farm tests your mobile and web applications across a wide range of devices, frameworks and operating systems. Any IT team can use the tool to assess the performance of software products before going live. This service also offers a testing capability that can generate logs, screenshots and videos on the go, giving your team clear-cut information on where there are defects in your application.
Furthermore, AWS Device Farm offers its service on the pay-as-you-go stream, allowing users to schedule their tests according to their budget. For instance, your team can decide to set some test parameters that can only run for an hour, and the service will provide the cost for running an hour test.
Features:
- The service offers integrations with CI/CD pipelines.
- It provides some crucial testing frameworks such as Appium and Espresso to meet every testing need.
- The service can generate test analytics reports through test logs, screenshots and videos.
- Offers testing frameworks that eliminate the frequency at which users build and maintain test scripts.
12. TestCollab
Launched in 2021, TestColab is a cloud test management tool designed for IT teams to test the quality assurance of their applications. The tool is built to support modern DevOps workflow where different teams work together to ensure that applications meet acceptable standards.
In other words, TestCollab enables your team to decide which path to take in hosting the tool. You enjoy the flexibility to either host on their cloud server or your personal server.
Features:
- The tool enables IT teams to have more flexibility in terms of test scheduling, requirement management and hosting plan.
- It integrates with web bug trackers like JIRA and provides REST API.
- The tool allows for versioning, making it easy for IT teams to trace and track the changes made to their application.
- Your team also enjoys the flexibility of deciding whether to host on their server or not.