Compatibility / Interoperability Testing
Compatibility and interoperability testing focuses on exercising the product-under-test under an array of software and hardware variables (e.g., different operating systems, additional software applications, such as web browsers, and hardware, such as graphics adapters, processors, chipsets, etc.). With almost three decades of growth and refinement, NTS’s test methodologies are unparalleled in the area of compatibility and interoperability testing. With our extensive in-house library of up-to-date software and hardware, NTS can simulate a wide variety of real-world environment in which your product may be utilized. Test failures are routinely regressed using industry standard methodologies, and known functional hardware and software. Compatibility testing seeks to verify the compatibility of a vendor’s product specifically with particular hardware or software (e.g., with the operating system, a word processor with a printer, etc.). Interoperability testing, on the other hand, typically focuses on validating “coexistence” (e.g., a word processor and spreadsheet program can both be installed on the same platform without causing problems with the other).
Compatibility and interoperability testing can be performed using either a formal test plan (either provided by you or designed by NTS with your input and approval) or using exploratory test methodologies. In ad-hoc testing, NTS test engineers use their years of testing experience to determine which areas of the product should be covered and how they should be evaluated to validate that it works correctly with the test environment.
NTS’s software library includes thousands of products from Microsoft, IBM, Apple, Adobe, and other major computer industry software vendors. NTS’s compatibility/interoperability testing labs has software for every major operating system on the market: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, Windows 10, Windows Media Center, Apple Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), 10.8 (Mountain Lion), 10.9 (Mavericks), 10.10 (Yosemite), 10.11 (El Capitan), 10.12 (Sierra), 10.13 (High Sierra), Linux (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Red Hat, SUSE, Novell, etc.), NetWare, and other versions of Unix (Solaris, BSD, HP-UX, AIX, etc.). NTS’s hardware library consists of thousands of test platforms, monitors, printers, USB devices, and other peripherals. In the ever changing world of the computer industry, it’s becoming exceedingly difficult to verify the compatibility of a product, thus, NTS has a large selection of hardware in house to test most popular hardware devices with your product.
To verify your product is compatible with a given standard, your product may need one of the certification tests that we perform, such as ZigBee, USB, WHQL/HCK, or MoCA.
NTS has also developed a set of “golden suites” to evaluate the compatibility and functionality of common devices to validate them with a large number of other devices. For example, our USB Golden Suite is designed to cover installation, functionality, and compatibility with various platforms, operating systems, and other USB devices.
NTS can also perform benchmark testing on your hardware products using custom designed test tools or industry standard benchmark utilities. Please refer to the benchmark/performance section for more information.
Contact NTS today to find out how to get your product tested!