Step 9: Test, Test, Test

Testing is expensive and time consuming. To make testing an even more "attractive" endeavor, it is also thankless. Still, if an application integration solution is not tested properly, then disaster looms large. For example, important data can be overwritten (and thus lost). Perhaps worse, erroneous information could appear within applications. Even without these dire eventualities, it is necessary to ensure that the solution will scale and handle the other rigors of day-to-day usage.

To insure proper testing, a test plan will have to be put in place. While a detailed discussion of a test plan is beyond the scope of this chapter, it is really just a step-by-step procedure detailing how the application integration solution will be tested when completed. A test plan is particularly important because of the difficulty in testing an application integration solution. Most source and target systems are business critical and therefore cannot be taken offline. As a result, testing these systems can be a bit tricky.