Introduction

Device Test Pools are a useful way of allocating machines to tests that are performed as part of the project, such as User Acceptance Testing.  ManagementStudio tracks which devices are allocated to tests and when to ensure that machines are not over-allocated during testing.

This document details the process of creating and populating new test pools within ManagementStudio.  The example is based on Application UAT, however, this concept applies to all modules that support tests and should be updated for the organisation's workflow.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction
• What Are Test Pools?
• Process
  • Create the Blueprint for the Device Test Pool
  • Add the Device Test Pool to the Test Sign-Off
  • Allocate Machines to the Device Test Pool
• Verify
• Further Support

What Are Test Pools?

A test pool is simply a way for ManagementStudio to manage which machines are available for testing.  When creating a new test, ManagementStudio project administrators can specify a machine from the pool that should be used for testing.  ManagementStudio tracks which machines are used in testing during the testing window and will identify those that may not be available.

ManagementStudio uses a specific Blueprint to manage test pools.

Process

The method of creating a test pool within ManagementStudio is based around three core stages:

• Create the Blueprint for the Device Test Pool
• Add the Device Test Pool to the Test Sign-Off
• Allocate Machines to the Device Test Pool

Create the Blueprint for the Device Test Pool

ManagementStudio supports multiple test pools.  This example assumes that all Blueprints for test pools are located within the same folder.

Step	Example
Switch to the Administration view and select the Blueprints menu item
Click the edit icon (1) on the root folder and choose New Folder. This folder will contain all the test pools created for the project. Choose an appropriate name, such as Test Pools and click OK to confirm.
Click the edit icon (1) on the folder created in the previous step, Test Pools, and select New Blueprint (2) from the menu. Choose a name for the test pool, in this case, Application UAT, and click OK to create the Blueprint.
Make a note of the Blueprint ID.  In this example, the ID is 627.  This will be used later to associate the test pool to the relevant Test Sign-Off.
Reload the Project to refresh the Blueprint structure: Click the Project Explorer icon (1) in the top right corner Select the Project (there might only be one project) to relaunch ManagementStudio

Add the Device Test Pool to the Test Sign-Off

Step	Example
Switch to the Administration module if not already loaded.  Choose the module and select the Test Sign-Off option from Surveys, Sign-Offs & Self Schedule. For example: Administration > Applications> Test Sign-Offs
Select the test from Select Test Type that will be using the device test pool.
Scroll down to the Test Options section and update the value of Device BlueprintId Src (1) with the Blueprint ID recorded earlier. In this example, the ID recorded earlier is 627. Click the Save Changes button (2).

Allocate Machines to the Device Test Pool

Step	Example
Select the Devices module (1) and choose All Devices (2).
Select the machine(s) to add to the pool (use the CTRL key to select multiple machines). Selected machines are highlighted in blue.
Righ-click on one of the selected machines and select Blueprints (1) > Add to... (2) > Test Pools (3) > Application UAT.  Click Add when prompted to add the devices to the Application UAT Blueprint.

Verify

To verify that the devices have successfully added to the Test Device Pool, launch the New Test Sign-Off Wizard from the relevant module.  The hostnames selected in the previous step will now be presented in the wizard.

Further Support

If you require further support, please visit ManagementStudio's Service Desk to search the knowledge base or create a new support ticket.