Parasoft SOAtest Reviews

1. Parasoft SOA test tool is very good for webservices automation.

2. It provides support for a variety of protocols including JSON.

3. It also provides multiple language support, such as Jython, Phython, Java, Ruby, and Javascript, whichever the tester is comfortable to plug and play with.

4. It is more user friendly when compared to other webservice automation tools.

5. This tool provides a variety of data sources including bean wizard and writable data source.

1. In our project we have to work with multiple tools like FTP, Database, Web services and Java. Parasoft is a bundle of these tools. With just one click I can access any utilities mentioned above. Currently it's saving lots of my time.

2. Parallel run is one of the significant features of Parasoft which saves more effort in my current project by executing the same regression package in different environments in parallel. 

3. Parasoft Console logs are very detail and precise. It helps us to to understand the issue quickly and easily. A normal QA person can understand the logs. 

1. We face issues when working with datasource. In my project we used a CSV file as an input test data files. However when the test data file (CSV) is empty then Parasoft stops abruptly. A workaround we found is to fill some dummy data into the datasource (CSV). We filed a case with Parasoft support about this issue. 

2. Parasoft has lots of limitation when integrating with ALM. We tried with a VAPI script, however it did not work as we expected. I personally feel this is the area to improve in order to compete with the other tools on the market. 

3. We noticed that our project workspace is sometimes corrupted without any reason. Without backups it creates lots of issues. It needs more focus in this area by giving the valid reason for the corruption.

SOAtest is, at its base, a collection of tools that can be combined to generate test scenarios.

Input data can be gathered from any possible source from web GUIs, databases, Excel, and files and is used in SOAP/REST tools and web browser tools. The output of those tests can be saved in files and databases.

Every imaginable source in the entire world of information technology can be accessed and used.

The following features are particularly valuable to us:

• Generating SOAP/REST requests
• Validating responses against WSDL
• Scripting parts of an XML request
• Accessing DBs with JDBC
• Jenkins Continuous Integration
• Regression test automation
• Modular scenario setup

Our tests are run nightly on every environment using Jenkins CI.

We moved from the Waterfall/V-model to Agile a couple of years back. With SOAtest, we are able to test features in every sprint, quickly and efficiently.

We use SOAtest to test the interfaces of maybe a dozen back-end services, simulating multiple, different points of sale. For example, a customer web shop, a sales agent application, sales machines, or mobile apps.

Service interfaces are continually integrated and updated within SOAtest. We test most front-end features first with manual tests, and then integrate them with validations into SOAtest scenarios.

Before using SOAtest, we had a huge delay in acceptance testing due to the amount of manual regression tests that we had to do.

Sadly, almost everything needs improving. Don’t get me wrong, the tool is very powerful and immensely useful for day-to-day usage. But certain things are missing or are set up in a way that makes it unnecessarily complicated. Here are some examples:

• Replacing part of an XML request by script requires a variable in the scenario folder. This variable needs to be prepared before the SOAP request tool with the partial XML to be replaced in the request. This variable can then be set to replace a subtree of the XML request. It would be easier if we could directly set a script in the SOAP request tool as a replacement.
• Enabling/disabling an optional element of an XML request is only possible if a data source (e.g., Excel sheet) is connected to the test. Otherwise, the option is not available at all in the drop-down menu.
• True parallel testing is currently impossible.
• There is a separate product ‘Load Test’ that has parallelism built in. But this is only to multiply a scenario with all test cases by a number of users executing all test cases. In a future release, there should be the option of running all test cases of a single test run in parallel to speed up testing.
• To build a modular scenario, you can reference test suite files and execute the test tools contained therein. But every test contained in the referenced test suite file will be executed, as it is set up in the test flow logic of this scenario.
• Sadly, there is no way to setup single operations of a web service and then combine those operations into a scenario. This is how SoapUI does it.
• SOAtest is a plug-in for Eclipse. But actually, it comes bundled with its own Eclipse and several other Eclipse plug-ins like PyDev. Although this ensures compatibility of all contained tools, it also means that every part is a little out of date. For example, PyDev is available as v4.5.5, which means you get Python v2.5.2.
• You can manually upgrade to a newer version, but this means every installation using your scenarios, and especially scripts, must be updated as well.

• We have been using v9.10 for about six months.
• We have used SOAtest itself for around five years (since v9.3).

We had a stability issue, but Parasoft support was always very helpful in finding a solution or a workaround.

I would give the technical support a rating of 10/10, or even 20/10!

No matter the problem, from simple user errors to complicated Eclipse issues, the support team is always quick to respond and is very good at what they do.

If you actually encounter some issue in which the first or second level support really can’t fix in a couple of minutes, then the third level support will dig deep and come up with amazing ways to help you.

There is a user driven support forum where you can get help and examples from other users.

We did not use another solution previously. We do use SOAtest and SoapUI in parallel:

• SoapUI is used as freeware by developers for single/simple SOAP requests.
• SOAtest is used by the testing team to build extremely complex scenarios.

Installation is easy and straightforward, as is the initial scenario building. SOAtest gives you the ability to choose how complex you want to build your scenarios.

The simplest level of usage is a full graphical view of requests and responses, storing values in data bank tools for use in later SOAP/REST request and SQL tools.

The more intricate levels consist of scripting in several available languages and really revealing the beauty of SOAtest.

The documentation guides you through several examples and helps enormously with the initial steps of building your test scenarios.

We evaluated SmartBear SoapUI.

• Learn XML as well as XPath.
• Learn Jython, a variation of Python running in the JRE. It gives you the option to import Java classes into your scripts and use the latest Java improvements, but without the type safe limitations and language complexity of Java.
• Implement your scenarios from the beginning with continuous integration in mind. For relative paths everywhere, abstraction in SOAtest environments etc., use a version control system to save and version your scenarios and scripts.
• Take a short course (less than one day) from the Parasoft support team to familiarize your test team members with the product very quickly.

• Tool offers easy ability to rapidly set up functional test scenarios
• The tool interface is very user friendly and the user guide is a great help
• Tool allows custom scripting and integrates well with most frequently used Source Control tools
• Utilizing features that support Data Driven testing and E2E has increased efficiencies drastically

5 Years. I have used the tool mostly for Web Service Testing.

Customer Service:

ParaSoft offers a great customer service, its a great combination along with a good product.

Technical Support:

Excellent and very approachable!

It improved my project ROI in various portions of the testing life cycle.

1. The Parasoft reporting feature needs to be more effective in terms of status graphical representation. Parasoft report doesn’t provide graphical representation, meaning summary of report which indicate - how many test scenarios passed or failed, basically the management is expecting this kind overall summary report. So far, the Parasoft report will be prepared manually and sharing with other stakeholders. 

2. I personally feel that 50% of Parasoft features are provided by SoapUI free of cost. However, not all the webservices protocols.SoapUI is an open source tool that supports most protocols such as SOAP, REST, HTTP, JMS, AMF, and JDBC. From a business perspective, why should a company invest money on Parasoft licensing which has a high cost

3. We cannot use the WebUI testing in full mode and we need more focused improvements in that area. I tried to use Parasoft for functional testing (web testing), such as clicking a button and selecting a value from a dropbox, but I figured out that the tool is mostly built for web service automation and User Interface automation. For instance, HPE UFT is a tool with a bundle of features(web service automation and functional automation). I know Parasoft supports basic WebUI automation but with limitations.

Automated execution and chaining of test validators is the most valuable feature; it is easily extensible via the built-in custom scripting API.

It has allowed us to build a large library of repeatable automated tests that are able to be quickly executed on demand. This builds a solid foundation for future initiatives expanding into a more continuous integration and the agile methodology adoption.

Memory Management suffers when using solutions other than the data repository for managing the test cases.

I have used this solution for about three to four years.

The platform can become unstable as the memory usage increases. For example, we use Excel spreadsheets for managing test cases, so the size of these test cases must be tightly controlled.

Scaling tests beyond a certain point can trigger issues with Memory Management, but good design practices usually indicate a need to break up a test before it would reach that point.

Technical support from Parasoft has been excellent.

The setup was straightforward. It was very easy to set up a test scenario that consumed assets in our web service layer and to run validation against the results. The tool itself allows for some more complex chaining of components within a test scenario, so familiarizing yourself with the tool enough to get more creative in your test setups can be more complex.

If you plan on using a floating-license model, plan on a buffer of at least 10 user tokens between the maximum allocated by your license and the expected usage for the tool.

I looked at SoapUI NG Pro.

Keep your test scenarios small and focused rather than trying to cover an entire web service with one scenario.

The most valuable features are the Browser Playback tool for recording and playing web scenarios (Web UI testing), and the messaging client for sending SOAP calls and for validating responses.

The testing time is shortened because we generate test data automatically with SOAtest.

During the process of working with SOAtest and building test cases, the .TST files will grow. A negative side effect is that saving your changes takes more time. The bigger the .TST file, the more time it costs. Sometimes a few seconds! An option is to split up the file into separate files, but often that’s no realistic option because you want to keep the test suites together.

TST-file is the container file in which all testsuites and teststeps are stored. It often happens that you have to change a teststep and want that change to be saved. Saving your teststep in an almost empty container (with only one testsuite and a few teststeps) will go very fast (within 1 second). Saving your step in a container with multiple testsuites and teststeps takes a lot more time. In my case sometimes five seconds.

Sometimes SOAtest hangs, but that is very sporadic. It could be caused by the stability of the environment of the customer in general.

We haven’t had any scalability issues.

The technical support in the Netherlands is very good. Questions about the tool are almost answered within a day. When needed, a Parasoft consultant joins the project for one day or more.

We used SoapUI for testing web services. In our case, the advantage of using Parasoft SOAtest is the use of the datasheet; with one message, you can loop through your datasheet and check all your data.

The setup was done by another team of the company and was out of our scope.

The products of Parasoft have the name; they’re expensive. I think it would be a great step to decrease the price of the licenses. A possible consequence could be getting more users and more familiarity in the Netherlands and around the world.

I have experience with a lot of other products, but when I started with this job (Dutch Government) three years ago, the product, SOAtest, had already been bought by the company.

Invest a lot of research time into what your exact needs are. After that, select some test tools to compare all the options. In my opinion, Parasoft has so many possibilities that it must have a place on your shortlist!

• API support for JSON and REST payload
• Virtualization
• Complete visibility of all the conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding and affecting the testing of software servers and environment

It provides easy handling of RESTful API's and figuring out exact API scalabilty, responses, and failed API's, returning code captured by the fault injections.

More descriptive reports are needed.

I've used it for six months.

No issues encountered.

No issues encountered.

No issues encountered, however, more scalability is needed, especially when testing in elastics/cloud platforms.

Customer Service:

8/10.

Technical Support:

9/10.

We previously used JMeter and were offered better support from Parasoft. As well as this, the reports and user friendliness of SOAtest helped us make the decision to switch.

It's very easy to set up and doesn't take much time. You don't need installation expertise to set it up.

We used a vendor team from Parasoft themselves who were very good.

It's 100%.

The price is a little expensive in terms of users.

We evaluated JMeter as well, which was our existing product.

Even validate SOASTA tool too.

• The ability to rapidly set up functional test scenarios using WSDL web service descriptions or XSD message specifications
• The ability to quickly make these test scenarios data driven using one of a variety of Data Sources
• The ability to quickly add validation and verification points in these test scenarios
• The ability to add custom validations and actions to these test scenarios using the integrated scripting environment

As a test consultant, I have been able to deliver high quality automated testing solutions to our clients using SOAtest in a quick manner. For example, I have been able to implement a test suite that automatically generates and executes thousands of test cases directly from formal specifications for a web service validating fixed length messages on a large number of syntactic, semantic and business rules.

• The features of SOAtest used for testing (web) applications on user interface level suffice for very basic web applications, but there are better tools on the market.
• The report output could use some work. It contains a lot of technical details which are quite clear to the person or team that implemented the automated tests, but they are not really suited for distribution to, for example, a management team.

I have been using SOAtest for over four years at the time of writing

No

As SOAtest is based on Eclipse, it may consume quite a bit of memory, which can lead to performance and stability issues on lower-end systems.

No.

Customer Service: Good to great, although it helps that I happen to know people at Parasoft personally.Technical Support: Good. The ticketing system on the Parasoft website works well and issues are handled swiftly.

No.

Very straightforward. The product is delivered as a single installer file and the wizard guides you through the installation process easily. The tutorial in the manual helps new users with creating their first tests.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Some best practices I have learned from my own experience:

• There's a myriad of tools available within SOAtest. Learn to know them and how to use them.
• The possibility for additional scripting is very powerful, but only use it when necessary to avoid overly complex test suites.

Disclosure: The company I work for is a Parasoft partner