Free event: Seven Common API Load Testing
April 8, 2020 Comments Off on Free event: Seven Common API Load Testing
I’ll be part of a lineup of virtual speakers at the upcoming SmartBear Connect 2020 event. I will be speaking about some of the most common API load testing mistakes that I’ve seen over the past 15 years. Here’s what I’ll be covering:
Just about everyone understands why it’s so important to run functional tests for APIs and microservices. However, a surprisingly large percentage of organizations shortchange the equally important task of placing these resources under realistic loads to determine what kind of performance they can expect in production.
In this informative session, Robert Schneider from WiseClouds will describe seven of the most frequent mistakes when running these vital tests. These include:
1. Not performance testing a full business process
2. Using hard-coded data to drive tests
3. Neglecting to calibrate the virtual users
4. Concentrating load generation from a single location
5. Not factoring in external API calls
6. Trying to simulate GUI security interactions via API
7. Failing to explore multiple load generation scenarios
You can learn more here. I hope to see you at this free virtual event soon!
SmartBear Connect 2020 will be online!
March 21, 2020 Comments Off on SmartBear Connect 2020 will be online!
I had the opportunity to meet a number of blog readers during the most recent SmartBear Connect. Many others who were unable to attend the event in person have reached out to me to request access to the advanced ReadyAPI and SoapUI training I provided that day.
If you’re interested in these topics, you should know that SmartBear has just announced that SmartBear Connect 2020 will be delivered virtually (in no small part thanks to the current COVID-19 lockdown). It’ll be taking place on April 27-28, 2020.
I’ll be making a presentation (details to follow soon) during that event. You can learn more here.
Informative article about Microservices vs. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
October 31, 2018 Comments Off on Informative article about Microservices vs. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
I really enjoyed participating in the recent 2018 SmartBear Connect conference. After some of my talks on designing good API tests, several people came up to me to get my opinion on the differences and similarities between Microservices (a very hot topic in the past couple of years) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) (which dominated software architectural discussions about 10 years ago).
Rather than rehash what I explained at the event, I thought it would be better to point my readers at a very concise, helpful article published by Ima Miri on Dzone. Check it out if you’d like to get a better handle on how these two approaches are related.
Advanced SoapUI Training Agenda at SmartBear Connect 2018
September 30, 2018 Comments Off on Advanced SoapUI Training Agenda at SmartBear Connect 2018
I’m looking forward to presenting a series of eight advanced SoapUI API testing talks at the upcoming SmartBear Connect conference in Boston on October 29. Here’s what I’ll be covering:
- Determining if your API is behaving properly requires examining the contents of the responses it returns. This session will showcase some of SoapUI’s most powerful message evaluation assertions.
- Automating your API tests means avoiding hard-coded, rigid message response evaluations. This session will teach you how you can apply flexibility when examining what your APIs return.
- Using XPath expressions in your SoapUI assertions offer tremendous productivity enhancements versus writing Groovy code. This session will show you how to create powerful and flexible XPath.
- Many applications incorporate multiple APIs. In this session, you’ll learn how to use the SoapUI data sources that enable feeding the output of one API to subsequent API calls.
- It’s important to use diverse data when testing your APIs. SoapUI includes robust data generation features, which we’ll explore in this session.
- Testing APIs means coping with ever-changing endpoints, security credentials, database connections, and so on. As you’ll learn in this session, SoapUI’s environments greatly simplify this vital responsibility.
- API testing responsibilities are often shared among multiple people. In this session, you’ll see how easy it is to utilize composite projects and Git to boost your teamwork.
- SmartBear continues to significantly improve SoapUI’s integration with the entire software development pipeline. This session will highlight just one example by demonstrating how to link your API testing efforts with Jenkins’ continuous integration/continuous delivery features.
Participate in SmartBear’s State of Testing Survey
July 31, 2018 Comments Off on Participate in SmartBear’s State of Testing Survey
SmartBear provides a highly useful, well-integrated set of software design, development, testing, and management solutions. Once again, they’re polling the marketplace to get feedback on how enterprises are testing their vital software resources.
It’s definitely worthwhile to participate in this survey, because it provides critical insights that helps guide product direction and thus deliver more accurately targeted tools to the market. We use the survey results as well when enhancing our ReadyAPI and SoapUI training classes. You can find the survey here.
Advanced SoapUI Pro training at SmartBear Connect!
April 30, 2018 Comments Off on Advanced SoapUI Pro training at SmartBear Connect!
SmartBear has just announced its second annual user conference, to be held in Boston on October 29 & 30. Training will be a big part of this year’s agenda. If you’re interested in strengthening your SoapUI Pro skills, you’ll want to stay tuned to this blog for more details about a whole day of hands-on advanced training that we’re planning to deliver.
DB-Engines.com: A very helpful database technology comparison site
February 28, 2018 Comments Off on DB-Engines.com: A very helpful database technology comparison site
I’ve been working with all sorts of databases for a really long time, and I’ve never seen the industry as dynamic and diverse as it is right now. Unfortunately, if you’re evaluating databases – relational, NoSQL, or otherwise – it can be very difficult to obtain a high-level, vendor-neutral view of your options.
Lately I’ve been spending a fair amount of time on the DB-Engines website in support of some research initiatives that I’m carrying out. DB-Engines provides a wealth of really useful information, including:
- Database rankings
- A compendium of database solutions
- A glossary of key terms
- Side-by-side product comparisons
If you’re interested in learning more about which database technology is best for you and your organization, it’s definitely worth dropping by.
Swagger Inspector from SmartBear: a very nice free online tool for testing APIs
January 30, 2018 Comments Off on Swagger Inspector from SmartBear: a very nice free online tool for testing APIs
SmartBear, makers of ReadyAPI (the most comprehensive and widely adopted Web service and REST API testing platform) have just released an excellent, free tool for carrying out quick and easy interactions with your API.
Swagger Inspector does a superb job of working with APIs (all HTTP methods are available), and it supports parameters, authentication & headers, and message payloads. It even generates OpenAPI documentation. If you’re designing, developing, testing, or simply using an API, you’ll want to check out this exciting new offering.
We’ll be incorporating Swagger Inspector into our SoapUI Pro training as well as our multi-model database design training course.
SoapUI training & certification track at SmartBear Connect on September 12
August 31, 2017 Comments Off on SoapUI training & certification track at SmartBear Connect on September 12
If you’re going to be in the Boston area on September 12, and would like to learn how to deliver high quality APIs by applying robust functional, performance, and security tests, be sure to check out the special training course that will take place during the SmartBear Connect user conference.
This all-day class – which is usually only available for private organizations – will be delivered by SmartBear’s Mike Giller using a significant subset of the training materials WiseClouds presents during private sessions. Mike will discuss:
- The ReadyAPI Platform
- Establishing Connectivity to your APIs
- Developing Functional Tests
- Validating API Responses with Assertions
- Data-Driven Testing & Programmatic Test Control
- Performance Testing & Virtualization
- Best Practices for ReadyAPI
Along with increasing your skill levels, attending this class will prepare you for the optional SoapUI certification exam. And to make things even more interesting, there will be additional tracks and events dedicated to the other major components in SmartBear’s far-reaching product portfolio.
You can learn more here.
On-demand graph database design and modeling training/certification now available
July 31, 2017 Comments Off on On-demand graph database design and modeling training/certification now available
Until fairly recently, the impressive benefits provided by graph databases have been restricted to the most sophisticated – and deep pocketed – technology organizations such as Facebook and LinkedIn. But with the rise of flexible, powerful, and affordable offerings such as OrientDB, it’s now possible for every enterprise to realize the advantages of graph databases.
I’m happy to announce that WiseClouds is partnering with OrientDB to produce a series of training courses and companion certification exams. These classes are available in a variety of formats, including video-on-demand, multi-day live courses presented over the Web for private enterprises as well events open to the public, and onsite deliveries.
If you’re interested in learning how to take advantage of everything that a graph database has to offer, I encourage you to check out the OrientDB Multi-Model Database: Modeling, Design & Interaction class. A subscription through the end of 2017 is available for a limited time at $49, which also includes the official OrientDB certification exam. It provides 2 ½ hours of valuable content, including:
- RDBMS Challenges
- Introduction to NoSQL & Supporting Technologies
- Graph Databases Overview
- OrientDB Capabilities & Multi-Model Architecture
- Modeling a Graph Database
- Taking Advantage of Inheritance and Polymorphism
- Interacting with your Graph Database via APIs
- Writing Powerful Queries using Standard SQL
To help you get up to speed quickly, all the lessons are bolstered with easy-to-understand illustrations and multifaceted examples.
rdschneider 
You must be logged in to post a comment.