Why is End to End (E2E) testing slowing down your SAP test automation journey?
In the domain of test automation, the complexity of SAP systems often necessitates a comprehensive approach to testing. While end-to-end testing can offer a thorough examination of system interactions, it might not always be the most effective or efficient method. Service virtualization – simulation of 3rd party systems and EDI/B2B partners on the other hand, can help alleviate many of the common roadblocks encountered in SAP test automation, especially in SAP S/4HANA transformation programs. SAP end-to-end testing also does not allow SAP S/4HANA programs to be more sustainable as it assumes all test landscapes must exist and be available full time. Simulate to Simplify (S2S) - learn how Service Virtualization can enable and speed up the test automation adoption journey.
Top 10 blockers for test automation for SAP landscapes:
| Blocker | End-to-End (E2E) testing | Service Virtualization |
| Lack of skills | Requires the knowledge of all 3rd party systems which is not possible to achieve when companies are having hundreds of satellite systems | Concentrates only on testing SAP landscapes and for all 3rd party systems interactions requires just the use of a single UI/UX of a service virtualization solution |
| Inadequate Tools | Mainframe systems, cloud based systems require different technologies to set up end to end testing | Simulation of 3rd party systems is always done in the same way irrespectively of the connected system |
| High Initial Costs | The cost of end to end automation set up and infrastructure can be prohibitive | The cost of setting a service virtualization software is a fraction end to end testing + there are potential savings on 3rd party test system infrastructure |
| Unstable Test Environment | SAP systems are subject to frequent changes, which makes maintaining a stable test environment challenging but if you add to this hundreds of satellite (3rd party) systems it just may become not possible | Focus on what is of highest importance – only SAP system changes. |
| Resistance to Change | New (3rd party) systems require constant knowledge sharing | New (3rd party) systems don’t require constant knowledge sharing – each new application is simulate in the same way |
| Test Maintenance | Change is any of the 3rd party systems require each test case update which might be a complex program on it’s own | Simulation only requires test maintenance for one system - SAP (not in all 3rd party systems) |
| Flaky Tests | End to End testing it’s fairly complex to solve any inconsistent test results as it may involve many non-available and hard to reach out teams from 3rd party systems | With Service Virtualization there are maximum two teams (SAP and service virtualization) who can solve any test inconsistencies |
| Lack of Management Support | End to End testing spans over many 3rd party systems it might be difficult to get proper support from each landscape owner. | Service Virtualiation can get a clear and simple management support as it only works with SAP landscapes. |
| Inadequate Test Data Management | End to End testing means the data in each 3rd party systems need to be constantly refreshed which might be a complex program on it’s own | Simulation only requires test data maintenance for one system - SAP (not in all 3rd party systems) |
| Poorly Designed Tests | Too big end to end projects trying to solve the test requirements for SAP + all 3rd party systems might result in poorly designed tests to meet the budget and time. | Service Virtulization tests are much simpler (less dependency) so potentially can be of higher quality compared to end to end tests. |
Service Virtualization the only way to achieve sustainability for SAP S/4HANA test automation?
In landscapes with hundreds of 3rd party systems connect to SAP S/4HANA systems they all need to have the same number of landscapes as SAP tiers. That not only causes the need to maintain all of them but also the need for an increased server load. Why not run a more sustainable SAP S/4HANA transformation program where most test landscapes are simulate using service virtualization? That is the default mode for all programs which heavily use service virtualization.
Where I can learn more about this topic of Service Virtualization?
There’s a 3h course on openSAP just on this topic called “Avoid SAP S/4HANA Project Delays with Third-Party Systems Service Virtualization” – In this course we help you understand why SAP-tailored service virtualization is a hidden gem of SAP S/4HANA projects, who can use it and when to use it, and most importantly, how to benefit from it. In addition, you’ll learn how service virtualization can make your projects more sustainable by significantly minimizing their carbon footprint.
Further references
E2E testing for SAP is a mouse trap! Don’t fall for it – Decouple instead
How to run many SAP S/4HANA rollouts at the same time? Use project tracks!
Simulate 3rd party, non-SAP systems and EDI partners to remove delays from complex SAP S/4HANA trans...
Composable SAP ERP – Decentralized Warehouse and 3PL scenarios
- SAP Managed Tags:
