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There is no doubt in the fact that the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way we used to look at the networking of our devices. IoT has made our lives easier to an extent that now we can control any device from anywhere we want to. The complexity of IoT gives rise to an even more complex software testing procedure. The challenges that IoT software testing faces require an effective troubleshooting mechanism. Before moving towards the steps which one can take to deal with the predictable problems in IoT testing, let’s have a brief idea about the problems which are specifically connected to IoT testing.

The Problems

The problems specifically connected to IoT testing are:

1. Protocols of IoT Device

IoT devices use a large variety of different protocols in order to communicate with controllers. The main reason is the diversity of IoT devices. Devices require different kinds of communication protocols in order to interact with the controllers or server. For instance, IoT devices generally use Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), and Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) protocols. All of these protocols have their pros and cons and hence they are selected on the nature and the use of the IoT device. Among all of these, MQTT is the most popular one.

2. Fast Moving and Incredibly Increased Load in IoT

These protocols rely on a very fast and efficient communication system. Therefore, the slightest change in the status of the network adversely affects the working of connected IoT devices. Generally, most of the smart devices face a problem with networking groundwork. Same is the case with IoT devices. They depend on the quality of the network infrastructure. To create such a network which facilitates all kind of IoT devices is not practical in nature. So, here are some of the tricks which you can follow to perform IoT software testing flawlessly.

The Solutions

The solutions to the aforementioned problems are:

1. Network Virtualization is The Key

To create a system which is compatible with all the conditions may be possible in theory but practically it’s quite difficult. Therefore, use network virtualization to overcome this issue. NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) is abstract in nature and therefore, one can run any software on standardized nodes. This way, you don’t have to worry about the slight changes in network systems while testing an IoT software.

2. Keep an Eye on Device System Metrics

IoT is highly dependent on the device system metrics e.g., memory, CPU, etc. Any kind of memory leakage in the system will affect the working of the IoT device. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on while testing an IoT device. It will help you predict the possible future complexities and to deal with them even before they arise in the IoT network.

3. Remember the Passive Nature of IoT Devices

Since we know that IoT devices are usually passive in nature, therefore, testers must know the nature of the device under test so that they will be able to predict possible outcomes. This is important to make IoT devices compatible with as many network infrastructures as possible.

Conclusion

A tester must keep in mind that with complexity comes opportunity. It can become very difficult to control fast-moving data and increased load but with a little smart work, you can easily overcome these issues. Companies all around the world are leaving the conventional modes of networking behind. This drift towards IoT brings a huge opportunity for companies to prove them as ideal choices for software testing of IoT. Take into consideration above, and who knows you just might be the next big thing in IoT software testing.