Validating Application Functionality Before Deployment
You're absolutely right, validating the application functionality before deployment is a critical step in the go-live process. Here's an expanded look at that aspect:
Application Deployment Validation
- Thoroughly test the application in a pre-production environment that closely matches the production setup.
- Validate all key functionalities, user workflows, and edge cases to ensure the application is behaving as expected.
- Perform comprehensive integration testing to verify the application's interactions with any dependent systems or services.
- Run performance and load testing to assess the application's scalability and responsiveness under expected user loads.
- Conduct security testing to identify and address any vulnerabilities or potential attack vectors.
- Obtain sign-off from the development, quality assurance, and product teams on the application's readiness for deployment.
Deployment Readiness Checklist
- Ensure all necessary configuration files, database scripts, and other deployment artifacts are prepared and ready for the production environment.
- Validate the deployment scripts or automation tools to confirm they will properly install and configure the application in production.
- Perform dry runs of the deployment process in a staging or pre-production environment to identify and resolve any issues.
- Develop a detailed rollback plan in case the deployment needs to be aborted due to any critical problems.
- Communicate the deployment plan, timeline, and any potential service disruptions to the relevant stakeholders and end-users.
Only after thoroughly validating the application functionality and deployment readiness should the final production deployment be executed. This upfront validation helps mitigate the risk of issues arising during the go-live and ensures a smooth transition to the new system.
What are the risks of testing in production?
- Risk of deploying bad code
- Accidentally leaking sensitive data
- Possibility of system overload
- Messing up the analytics
- Risk of releasing product or feature that is not usable