Automation

Both automation and orchestration have the ability to make complex and repetitive business processes seamless, regardless of whether your data is stored in the cloud or an on-site server. However, many confuse orchestration and automation, but there is a big difference between the two. If you understand what each term means and how it can help your business, you will be more likely to make the right choice.

Understanding Automation

Automation is used for a single repetitive task that a bot completes without human intervention. Generally, automation is used for manual processes that are laborious and time-intensive. It helps to make the processes more efficient and reliable.

In the world of IT, automation can be used for a wide array of tasks and processes. Whether it is deploying or integrating an application, creating service tickets, or securing endpoints, automation can prove to be of great assistance. You can use automation for cloud and on-site tasks.

Understanding Orchestration

While automation is used for a single task or function, service orchestration software is used for the entire workflow. It can help you manage large-scale networks and the virtual environment. It is possible to use the software to integrate as well as schedule automated tasks between complicated and complex services and distributed networks. It enables you to simplify and streamline connected workflows, workloads, and processes that are repetitive.

With the help of orchestration, it is possible to automate the management, arrangement as well as the coordination of complex services, middleware, systems, and networks within the computing environment. It also aids in directing automated processes to support bigger and more complex workflows.

A majority of IT teams manage hundreds, if not thousands, of applications. Hence, it is not feasible to administer these applications manually. An RPA orchestrator is required to ensure you have access to available, performing, and dynamically scaling applications and systems so that the IT team is not weighed down by heavy burden.

The Difference Between Automation and Orchestration

Now that you know what is automation and orchestration, it is time to look at the difference between the two.

In simple and layman’s terms, automation is used for a single task while orchestration is used to automate multiple tasks within a workflow with the aim to streamline it and make it less laborious and time-consuming. In doing so, orchestration helps to optimize workflows.

A good example to explain orchestration is an app. When you use orchestration, it not only helps to deploy the app but also aids in connecting the application to the entire network so that it can communicate not just with the user but also apps in the network.

When you use orchestration for cloud computing, you can rest assured that the software will ensure automated spin-up activities, such as auto-scaling, occurs in the right order, and also follows the necessary security protocols and also makes certain that the permissions are in place.

Importance of Orchestration Software

In the modern IT landscape, automation plays an important role. It can handle repetitive workflows, deploy applications, and even manage the lifecycles of multiple applications. It works to facilitate enterprise-level security and also offers flexible monitoring as well as visualization.

In case you are wondering why organizations are embracing orchestration software, here are some of the benefits that you should know:

• It helps to minimize human error by automatically handling the setup as well as the execution of tasks that you automate
• Ensures users get the right permissions, thereby preventing unauthorized access to the automation system
• Minimizes virtually all human intervention for managing automatic tasks
• Makes the process of setting up data integration simpler by handling the governing policies related to the integration
• Provides a generalized infrastructure that takes away the need to build ad-hoc tools
• Offers wide-ranging diagnostics that enable you to debug and audit more quickly
• Integrates easily with existing data management systems

There you have it – the difference between automation and orchestration, and why companies are moving from manual orchestration to orchestration software. 

Whenever we develop a software or application, it is essential to test whether the actual output is the same, as expected by the end-user. Traditionally, manual testing is done where software developers and testers needed to invest their time and effort physically. Also, the manual testers had to check every log file, errors in the database and external services, etc., and record their observations to make further improvements in the product. This was an extremely tedious task for the professionals as it was very time consuming and repetitive.  

Automated testing differs from manual testing as it is done through an automation tool and takes much less time as compared to manual testing. As Automation testing is done using automation tools, the exploratory tests are performed faster and more time is required to maintain test scripts, which improves the test coverage, overall. Automation Testing tools are best suited for large projects that require repetitive tests and have already been through the manual testing process. Start-ups, SMEs, and large enterprises should choose the best Automation Testing Services by partnering with reputed, experienced, and professional QA Testing Company that offers both Automation Testing and Manual Testing Services.

Automation Testing Tools

Automation testing tools are used to write and execute various test cases, without the need for any manual involvement, to execute an automated test suite. Generally, test cases and test scripts are written by testers using Automation testing tools and then grouped into test suites. Some of the things that can be automated using the Automation testing tools are:

• Registration forms,
• Login forms,
• Place where many users access the software simultaneously,
• GUI items
• Database connections
• Field validations

When software is updated with new releases, the bugs of the recent version are fixed, but it may add new bugs to the previous operational version. Manual testing is not preferred to test all the functionalities of the software, every time during the software update. Automation Testing Services play a crucial role in this case, and by choosing suitable Automation Testing tools, developers can increase the efficiency and decrease the cost and resources invested in the project. Various automation testing tools are used by developers and testers globally, depending upon the business requirements. Some of the commonly used software testing tools in Automation testing are as follows:

• Selenium
• HP Quick Test Professional
• Visual Studio Test Professional
• WATIR
• TestComplete
• IBM Rational Functional Tester
• WinRunner
• Testing Anywhere
• LoadRunner
• SilkTest

Moving to Agile Methodology

A Pyramid Testing Strategy is used in the Agile methodology, where Automation Testing is done at three distinct levels.

• Unit Testing – At the base level, where the maximum percentage of tests are done
• Service Layer – At the middle level, where API testing is done
• GUI Testing – At the top-most level, where GUI is tested

There are distinct strategies to perform automation testing, and testers and their teams can decide their course of action. A combination of manual testers and automated testers is most preferred, although the onus of delivering maximum outputs is on the Automation engineers. Depending upon the budget, type of application, deadlines, and the development model, testers can outline the automation testing strategy to gain the best results.

Selenium – Testing Tool for Automation Testing

Selenium is considered the most preferred automation testing tool used by developers globally. The main advantage of using Selenium is that it can be executed in multiple browsers and Operating systems, and is compatible with various programming languages and numerous frameworks of automation testing. Developers use this tool to create powerful, robust, browser-centered automation test scripts, which are scalable across diverse environments. Regression testing, exploratory testing, and reproducing of bugs promptly are also some of the benefits of using Selenium in automated testing.

So, if you are looking for the best automation testing services for your mobile apps or web application, then you should opt for the most reliable and trusted company that has developers and testers who are dextrous and well-equipped to use the latest Automation Testing strategies and tools. It will help you provide affordable, effective, and user-friendly solutions to achieve maximum ROI for your business.