Automation Framework for Virtual Desktop Testing to Accelerate Regression Cycles

The client operates a legacy system accessed through virtual desktops without GUI components, leading to extensive manual testing efforts, prolonged regression cycles, and increased maintenance costs. Their engineering team faces resource constraints due to manual testing cycles, hindering rapid deployment of new solutions while maintaining existing legacy systems.

A global enterprise with legacy client-server systems providing enterprise solutions accessed via virtual desktops, seeking automation to improve testing efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.

• Automate regression testing processes for legacy virtual desktop applications
• Reduce test cycle duration by at least 75%, aiming for a fourfold decrease
• Replace approximately 500 man-hours of manual testing per cycle with automated tests
• Enable engineering teams to focus resources on new feature development and innovation
• Develop a scalable, robust automation framework capable of handling GUI-less applications accessed via virtual desktops

• Computer vision-based automation to recognize and interact with UI elements within virtual desktop environments
• Automated test case execution covering all critical features in the regression suite
• Reporting and logging mechanisms to track test results and identify issues promptly
• Easy test case management and scheduling capabilities for ongoing regression cycles
• Integration with existing build and CI/CD pipelines for seamless automation deployment

• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) systems for automated build and testing workflows
• Legacy system APIs or interfaces, where available, for supplementing visual recognition
• Reporting tools for test result visualization and analysis

• System capable of executing and scaling to multiple parallel test cycles
• Minimal impact on system performance during testing
• Secure handling of test data and credentials within the automation environment
• Framework should support frequent updates and maintenance without stability issues

Implementation of this automation framework is expected to reduce regression test cycle duration by 75%, or approximately four times faster testing, thereby significantly decreasing manual testing efforts by around 500 man-hours per cycle. This shift will enable the engineering and QA teams to dedicate more resources to developing new features and supporting innovation, ultimately accelerating time-to-market and reducing maintenance costs associated with legacy system support.