DATABASE TESTING
TERMS
Integration testing is a level of software testing where individual units are
combined and tested as a group. The purpose of this level of testing is to expose
faults in the interaction between integrated units. Test drivers and tests tubs are used
to assist in Integration Testing.
Database Testing is checking the schema, tables, triggers, etc. of the database under
test. It may involve creating complex queries to load/stress test the database and
check its responsiveness it. It also checks data integrity and consistency.
Database Schema Testing: As mentioned earlier, it involves testing each object in
the Schema.
Verifying Databases and devices:
o Verifying the name of database
o Verifying the data device, log device and dump device
o Verifying if enough space allocated for each database
o Verifying database option setting
Stored Procedure Tests
It involves checking whether a stored procedure is defined and the output results
are compared. In a Stored Procedure test, the following points are checked:
o Stored procedure name
o Parameter names, parameter types, etc.
o Output − whether the output contains many records. Zero rows are affected or
only a few records are extracted.
o What is the function of Stored Procedure and what a stored procedure is not
supposed to do?
o Passing sample input queries to check if a stored procedure extracts correct data.
o Stored Procedure Parameters: Call stored procedure with boundary data and with
valid data. Make each parameter invalid once and run a procedure.
o Return values: Check the values that are returned by stored procedure. In case of
a failure, nonzero must be returned.
o Error messages check: Make changes in such a way that the stored procedure
fails and generate every error message at least once. Check any exception
scenarios when there is no predefined error message.
In a Trigger test, the tester must perform the following tasks −
o Make sure the trigger name is correct.
o Validate the trigger if it is generated for a specific table column.
o Trigger’s update validation.
o Update a record with a valid data.
o Update a record with invalid data and cover every trigger error.
o Update a record when it is still referenced by a row in other table.
o Ensure rolling back transactions when a failure occurs.
o Find out any cases in which a trigger is not supposed to roll back transactions.
Stress Testing involves getting a list of major database functions and corresponding
stored procedures. Follow the steps given below for Stress Testing:
o Write test scripts to try those functions and every function must be checked at
least once in a full cycle.
o Perform the test scripts again and again for a specific time period.
o Verifying the log files to check any deadlocks, failure out of memory, data
corruption, etc.
Benchmark Testing
If your database does not have any data problems or bugs, system performance can
be checked. A poor system performance can be found in benchmark testing by
checking the parameters given below:
o System level performance
o Identify most-likely-used functions/features
o Timing – maximum time, minimum time and average time to perform functions
o Access volume
Database tests are typically a three-step process:
o Setup the test. You need to put your database into a known state before
running tests against it.
o Run the test. Using a database regression-testing tool, run your database tests just
like you would run your application tests.
o Check the results.
Self-Assessment
i. What is database testing?
ii. Differentiate trigger testing and stress testing?
iii. When you are testing database, what do you need to check normally
as an IT technician?
iv. How would you know for database testing, whether trigger is fired or not?
v. While testing stored procedures what are the steps does a tester takes?
vi. involves getting a list of major database functions and
corresponding stored procedures.
A. Benchmark Testing
B. Stress Testing
C. Trigger test
D. None
vii. Trigger testing which tasks tester must perform?
A. Make sure the trigger name is correct.
B. Validate the trigger if it is generated for a specific table column.
C. Trigger’s update validation.
D. Update a record with a valid data.
E. Both of above
F. None of above
viii. is checking the schema, tables, triggers.
A. Database Testing
B. Database Schema Testing
C. Benchmark Testing
D. None of above
