App Connect

The POP and PUSH (P&PT) testing framework's goal is to provide a platform for combining Six Sigma testing techniques with IBM App Connect microservices. In the same way that a recording reel of film records a snapshot of test case data, the P&PT will record a snapshot of test case data. It is digital proof captured throughout the lifecycle of an App Connect Enterprise application, from development to production (application lifecycle), using Git and Jenkins' workflow.

Introduction

In reaction to the business scenario, the project's test case count increases. As the test case repository grows like the General Sherman Tree grows, the goal is to reduce the amount of time spent on manual testing (operations).

The test case necessitates a significant amount of effort due to the needs of the stakeholders. The flow development and testing process is akin to a large-scale ballet performance, with everything moving in lockstep.

The App Connect Toolkit is being developed with the help of the P&PT Testing Framework. To keep things simple, we'll focus on the situation of two developers (Laurel & Hardy). Another developer will arrive later.

Hardy builds a message flow in his App Connect Toolkit.

Hardy during his development, performs the following activities:

1. Building of message flow.
2. ESQL development for converting an XML message to a JSON message.
3. Testing on a workstation (Developer Machine).
4. Push the message flow to the Git Repository.
5. A Label of Time is added to this message flow. e.g. Author Hardy, Date:13 Nov 2021.

Now Laurel joins the team. He is allocated with modifications needed on the message flow built by Hardy earlier. Laurel performs the following activity as given below.

1. Pull the message flow from the Git Repository.
2. Include the MQ Output node to catch the response of the flow.
3. Build the ESQL modification for the message flow. 
4. Testing of the message flow.
5. Push the message flow to Git. 
6. A Label of Time is added to the message flow e.g. Modifier Laurel Date: 23 Dec 2021

The Inspector approved the test case and moved it to the next deployment cycle. This is a fully automated process with push and pop labels on the test case and data.

The Git repository contains all test cases and data. The company can run several cases with labels and achieve Six Sigma control on the published microservice.

Let’s understand the navigation of the above Table 2.

Hardy builds message flow and creates five test cases, and its code is promoted through the DEV-SIT-UAT-PROD cycle as defined in Table 1. After four weeks Laurel works on same message flow with modification and three new test cases along with Hardy's five previously generated test cases as shown in table 2.

PUSH means moving the test case to the next level of DEV-SIT-UAT-PROD.

POP means moving the test case out of the deployment cycle  DEV-SIT-UAT-PROD.

The implementation of the IBM App Connect process following the PUSH & POP Test Case (P&PT) testing framework is the engine for speeding the microservice defect free. It consists of the following components connected to each other in a disciplined manner.

1. Git is the central repository for all developers working in organizations or departments for microservice flow development using IBM App Connect Enterprise.
2. The IBM App Connect toolkit is used as a workstation for development of message flow and auto generation of test cases.
3. Jenkin’s pipeline for deployment of code on DEV-SIT-UAT-PROD with PUSH and POP test case.
4. Report generation with Six Sigma for defect reduction and improvement in quality.

Conclusion

1. The Production Framework will help in building Six Sigma report generation for each microservice deployment with its defect report and rollout of the production.
2. The auto build feature of test cases using IBM App Connect Enterprise helps in the generation of test cases ranging from 1 to 1000 or many, and pushing them to the central Git repository as an umbrella of the organization library.
3. New message flow and alteration of the message flow and test case modification will be harmonized with Framework. 
4. The Framework will test all the scenarios for each developer's work with history and generate the Six Sigma report for each message flow.
5. In the case of business scenario modification test case generation, POP & PUSH will help in control of defects and manual dependency.