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MANAGEMENT PROFILES
Issa Keshek joined Level Four in early 2006 as General Manager, Middle East.
Issa had previously held senior positions at Microsoft and NCR.
Issa Keshek
Click here for Issa's management profile.
MONTHLY PRODUCT FOCUS
The migration from OS/2 to Windows as the ATM operating System and the associated advent of the XFS standard, has introduced new challenges, thus emphasizing the importance of fast and frequent testing of the ATM application in the new paradigm.
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February 05, 2007
ATM APPLICATIONS TESTING IN WINDOWS ENVIRONMENT
Using an ATM is probably the most frequent interaction that many customers have with their bank, but in the last ten years the ATM channel has been largely overlooked as deployers showed little appetite for more than basic cash dispensing. Recently however, industry developments from both a business and technical perspective are forcing rapid change and opening up a new era of possibilities for self service functionality.
As open standards became widely popular and with the discontinuation of the OS/2 platform (including support) by IBM; ATM vendors and banks have started migrating their ATMs from OS/2 to Microsoft Windows operating environment. The open world of Windows enables banks to more realistically pursue a multi vendor strategy for their ATM technology particularly the application software layer.
Testing Windows based application:
The multitude of benefits realized by banks in Windows on the ATM has also presented them with a new set of challenges in terms of the complexity and frequency of ATM application testing requirements. Evidently, in a more complex Windows environment, testing has a new dimension and requires more rigorous schemes that include more than the areas stated above. Coupled with external software for monitoring and anti-virus protection, your testing requirements have become more demanding than before. The new areas are summarized below:
1. Operating system changes
Windows operating systems require more frequent testing when compared to previous environments, particularly with the regular operating system patch released from Microsoft. Apart from patches, service packs introduced necessity testing of applications in the new environment – this includes your ATM application.
An important area that cannot be overlooked is security patches, released frequently, with a number of them being critical and must be applied. Banks must apply these patches to their ATM operating system to avoid any potential risks – an area that cannot be ignored for all Windows applications including your ATMs.
2. Larger software stack
The advent of the open standards provides banks with the freedom of choice between various hardware and software environments. The open standards allow banks to select the most appropriate mix of applications to cater for the ATM operation. While the proprietary world (OS/2) had a number of built-in features, in a Windows environment banks deploy software for ATM monitoring, network management, cash management or video camera imaging. The combination of any of these applications with the application running on the ATM increases the software stack that needs to be tested significantly. With these applications being supplied from various vendors, testing them together is more crucial than before. Any version update or modification in one may cause failure in other applications within the software stack and must be thoroughly tested to avoid down times.
3. ATM application version updates
Major ATM software suppliers who provide applications for the Windows world, (e.g. NCR Aptra Edge, Diebold Agilis, etc.) continue enhancing their offerings by providing version upgrades to current releases. While in certain cases, the version upgrades enhance functionality, in many others, they address specific functional mandates and need to be adopted quickly. With the pace of changes in technology, ATM software suppliers are releasing software versions on a monthly basis at times requiring fast testing to avoid any service interruption.
4. XFS standard
The adoption of XFS as a standard replaces proprietary native device calls in earlier environments. As opposed to simulation of a native call, testing of XFS calls need to be done to highlight any issues with device failures or simulate reaction to any irregularity in a device function. XFS has been introduced with Windows and XFS testing is crucial.
Coupled with increasing pressure from the business to introduce new services, optimize functionality and the modification of existing screens and menu options on the ATM screens, ATM testing has topped the list of IT departments in terms of frequency and complexity and successful financial institutions are looking for new ways of performing testing in the new realm without causing delays or affecting productivity.
With over 30-man years of expertise in the ATM application testing arena, Level Four provides proven automated testing solutions that address the new testing paradigm. Through ATM TrueTest, banks are now able to automate the testing of your conventional config file management as well as your real ATM application (like NCR’s Aptra Advanced NDC, Aptra Edge, Diebold’s Agilis, Wincor’s Proclassic, etc.) in a more realistic way.
Currently in use by leading financial organizations around the world, "ATM TrueTest is the world's first software to automate testing of XFS- and Windows-based ATM applications, and is therefore a targeted solution for banks responding to the industry's move to open standards".
ATM TrueTest works by simulating ATM hardware devices at the CEN/XFS open standard interface. The ATM application is loaded in a virtual Windows partition (2000/ XP) in ATM TrueTest and believes it is resident on a real ATM or Self Service terminal. Also you can install all your various that are running in your live environment including the monitoring applications and CRM related tools. Testing can be conducted end-to-end with the host processing system. A comprehensive script based regression testing engine enables the network owner to exercise the live application software through any combination of transactions, including all fault conditions, in a totally automated fashion. This offers substantial savings in time and cost and enables new services to be brought to market more efficiently.
Thus, using ATM True Test, you can test all the facets required for a robust ATM operation. Some of the key areas that can be tested include :
- Configuration changes.
- Screen changes.
- State flow changes.
- New transactions.
- Host message testing
- Actual ATM application, which drives your ATMs.
- Interaction between XFS device layer and ATM application.
- Windows Security patches.
- Windows Service packs.
- Monitoring applications.
- Various Windows Related Issues like memory leaks.
- Antivirus software.
- Co-existence between multiple applications.
Also you can keep copies of this Virtual environment which will enable banks to trace back any version related issues in a very easy manner.
“ATM True Test helps Banks to save money, improve productivity and provide better customer service”
Many of the European, US and Saudi banks have been benefited with ATM True Test solution and finished their Windows migration, EMV/3DES implementation projects prior to their dead lines. True Test made the testing easy, so they are able to deploy new transitions within their ATMs more frequently and with a greater speed. Below are the few important features within our True Test Solution.
· ATM TrueTest provides an independent and flexible desktop-based testing environment for any Windows-based open standards (XFS) compatible ATM application
· ATM TrueTest supports comprehensive automation for end-to –end development and regression testing of ATM software in conjunction with a central host system.
· ATM TrueTest simulates all ATM hardware peripherals and their interface to the ATM application via the CEN/XFS interface layer. The graphical test tools provided dramatically simplify the testing of ATM application.
· ATM TrueTest can be connected to a host system just like a real ATM. Fully automates documentation at all levels ensures that testing meets the most demanding quality standards.
Finally we believe that our product will definitely be an asset to your organization which will help your bank to offer more transactions types to make your ATM environment more interactive rather than just a money dispensing machine. Also will help to keep your ATMs up and running with its automated testing environment which will identify all the potential issues during the testing phase.
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