A multi-component, client-server system like the test system requires that some attention be paid to managing the system. Keeping the different components of the test system up-to-date and working together in a stable configuration is critical for successful test operations and for getting the maximum efficiency out of your system.
The topics in this section will guide a system administrator through management activities ranging from adding a user account to maintenance duties such as backing up the system.
Set up and maintain accounts for all of the users on your system. The system is protected from unauthorized access by authenticating users. You can protect sensitive areas of the system, such as configuration information and portions of the test libraries, by assigning account permissions that restrict the actions a user can take.
A System Under Test, from the standpoint of the test system, is an object to which messages are sent and from which messages are received, interpreted, and acted upon. Part of the test definition, therefore, is the information required to establish communication with the SUT. By defining SUTs as globally shared objects in the test system, you ensure that test time is not wasted tracking down an error in an IP address.
The relationship between the test server and the TAS is similar to that of the SUT and the test server. The TAS has to know where to send the test control messages, and what to do with the measurement and status messages it receives. A test server cannot be recognized by the TAS until it has been defined in the system database. After the test server has been defined, it can be used for testing and you can monitor its status, take corrective action if necessary, change its IP addresses and routing configuration, and keep it up-to-date by installing software upgrades.
The public sections of the test libraries restrict write and delete access to administrator-level users. This allows you to maintain clean, shared libraries that contain standard, customized, and proven test cases and test sessions. The libraries also contain private libraries for each user account. All users can read from all libraries, and administrators have full control over all user libraries.