Virtualization Integration: Redefining IoT Testing

The concept of Virtualization appeared in the early 2000s of the greater need for efficiency within IT organizations. Virtualization is all about creating a virtual version of any system using software technology by abstracting the physical hardware.??

In other words, it can be understood as a practice of creating a virtual version of IT services like storage, memory, operating system, network resources, and server, making them run on any given physical hardware simultaneously in isolation. Such an approach allows the virtualized systems to function as if they are running on their own dedicated hardware separated from the host operating system.??

Virtualization simulates hardware functionality in a virtual environment making every machine behave like an independent computer, which allows for saving of costs and resources and yields greater efficiency.??

Virtualization & IoT: The Connection?

Parallelly, the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide is forecast to almost triple from 9.7 billion in 2020 to more than 29 billion IoT-connected devices in 2030. And therefore, working on the Internet of Things or IoT products requires access to a dynamic digital infrastructure.?

Processes like desktop or storage virtualization allow logical network separation. It means better control of data management with memory on the server while allowing users to access the same more conveniently across different virtualized desktop environments.?

In its simplest form, virtualization allows you to create IT services with greater impact cutting off the dependency on the hardware. More importantly, it allows the distribution of the capabilities of a physical machine to diverse environments and users while enhancing the capacity of a physical machine.??

With that being said, let us quickly jump on learning the need for integrated virtualization and finding how it can aid the task of IoT testing as a service for added productivity. Let’s begin!?

Why Pursue Integrated Virtualization??

When it comes to virtualization, the need for the same has got more evident with how servers used to work in the past. Organizations in the past worked on physical servers that were made to meet a specific purpose and not multiple vendor equipment or apps. However, the changing IT environment with upgraded infrastructure needs calls for added accommodation of vendor stacks, operating systems, etc.??

Improved Consumption?

Virtualization allows splitting larger systems into parts for improved consumption of the resources. Such distribution allows added productivity for enterprises that need to part their servers to run both legacy systems as well as external applications in different environments.??

App Isolation?

Virtualization could be used to work on app isolation by making programs run inside one virtual machine without any involvement of other virtual setups, even on the same host. On top of that, Virtualization even allows addressing the vendor lock-in issue while enabling apps to run on diverse operating systems with no need to reboot or change the system.??

All in all, virtualization allows enterprises to yield the desired digital value from a virtual infrastructure saving investment and enjoy maximum workload portability. Also, virtualization makes way for all the scalability and availability goals with improved overall resource management.??

Virtualization For IoT Testing?

Though virtualization is an already established practice, it is making its way to the IoT testing market. This is done on purpose to overcome all the flaws associated with traditional testing, such as scalability issues, maintenance problems, unit-level code checking, and even test requirements that demand high-performance deliverables.??

Apart from this, Virtualization for IoT Test Automation allows the simulation of both software and hardware, meeting the dependency goals and allowing real-time result production. From improving the speed of testing to decreasing the test efforts, the virtualization of API, sensor, and service all take on different roles streamlining the test process.?

Thus, there are two extremely important reasons that make it crucial for tech brands to invest in virtualization for IoT testing. These are:??

The Market?

The global IoT testing market is likely to reach $0.89 billion in 2022, jumping from $0.64 billion in 2021 with a CAGR of 38.9 percent. The rapid shift in the market is all because of companies aiming to stabilize their deliveries catering to the rising demand for digitalization. Besides, the stats even suggest the market to reach an exponential number of $2.96 billion in 2026 making the CAGR rise to 35 percent.??

Expansion Of Devices?

Another potential reason why the Virtualization of IoT test automation is being done at such a great pace is the increasing number of IoT devices, with more connected devices being added to the loop offering access through the internet.??

Especially when IoT implementation is expanding across a wide range of applications that allows control to refrigerators, ACs, house security systems, and more through the connected environment, IoT testing allows for meeting connectivity, performance, security, and usability goals. Besides, Gartner’s prediction of IoT devices to reach 20 billion by 2026 makes it vital for every organization on their digital ventures to identify the need for IoT testing and virtualization.?

Understanding IoT Testing & The Benefits It Could Offer?

?When we say IoT, it includes three primary components, I.e., computing, communication, and devices. Here devices are the physical objects with access to the Internet, while the Communication part is carried through satellites or data services and ensures the entire system works well.??

The Computation part is usually done in the central location of the server and allows the system to perform in an appropriate manner. All in all, an IoT application functions with effective integration of all the components complementing the decision-making process.?

However, there is a huge heterogeneity amongst devices and communication technologies that need interoperability at various levels. In other words, it needs to focus on everything from communication to device integration allowing rapid data interaction. Here comes the need for virtualization that prevent any system or server which gets burdened and hamper the implementation.???

Nevertheless, the effective approach to virtualization could enable testers and developers to yield the expected business value. Some of the major benefits that integrating virtualization to IoT test automation process offers can be listed as:??

• Opportunities: The primary benefit that comes with virtualization integration on IoT testing is fastened test initiatives causing fewer risks and more space for innovation.?
• Improved Interoperability: Since IoT systems need to offer a pleasing user experience across varying environments, virtualization enables testers to ensure maximized interoperability across various channels.???
• Better Time To Market: Virtualization prevents the overwhelming systems and IoT testing, thus allowing upgrading the time to market.??
• Enhanced ROI: Last but not least, IoT testing allows checking on all the functional and non-functional aspects of an IoT product. Ultimately, it allows users to deliver solutions that are highly optimized and are made to meet the needs of the end users.??

Using Virtualization For Enhanced IoT Testing?

Testing of IoT products is very similar to testing of other applications or software. However, there are certain peculiarities surrounding connection, device, and computing aspects that virtualization could resolve. These include all the functional and non-functional components of the test process:?

• The functional aspect includes working on unit testing, integration testing, end-to-end testing, smoke testing, regression testing, and interface testing. The process involves working across the development aspects to check on the stability of components and GUI requirements.??
• The non-functional aspect of the test process focuses on testing of factors like securing IoT devices along with performance, load, stress, and compatibility of the product under test.??

Concluding It, service virtualization is meant to streamline the testing of all the dependent components for their behavior, output, and performance. Virtualization allows simulation of the test environment and enhances the process by allowing replication of the components allowing faster achievement of the objectives.??

Moreover, service virtualization also enables teams to have more dedicated access to the resources, checking on the impact and dependency in the original test environment. And since IoT apps have various dependencies related to components and services, service virtualization can offer all the capabilities required to enhance the development process for optimum deliveries.??