Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT), also known as Operational Readiness Testing (ORT) or Operations Readiness and Assurance Testing (OR&A), is a type of non-functional software testing. It focuses on verifying that a system is ready for real-world operations in a production environment. OAT is typically conducted after the main phases of the development lifecycle, such as design, build, and functional testing. It provides stakeholders with assurance of the system’s stability and readiness for deployment.
Here are some key activities involved in OAT:
- Environment Setup: Conducting tests in an environment that closely mimics the production environment to ensure accurate results.
- Operational Scenarios: Simulating real-world operational scenarios to identify potential issues and ensure the system can handle real-world conditions.
- Performance Testing: Evaluating the system’s performance under various conditions, including stress and load testing.
- Security Testing: Checking for vulnerabilities and ensuring that security measures are effective.
- Data Integrity Testing: Ensuring that data is processed and stored correctly without corruption.
- Backup and Recovery Testing: Verifying that backup and recovery procedures work correctly.
- Disaster Recovery Testing: Testing the system’s ability to recover from potential disasters, such as hardware failures or data loss.
- Usability Testing: Ensuring that the system is user-friendly and meets the needs of end-users.
- Monitoring and Alerts: Setting up monitoring systems and ensuring that proper alerts are configured for any issues.
- Documentation Review: Review supporting documentation to ensure it is complete and accurate.