Oracle Open-Source Testing and Validation Kits

From: Enterprise Open Source Magazine

The goal of Oracle Validated Configurations program is to provide easier, faster and lower-cost deployment of Linux solutions in the enterprise. The program offers pre-tested, validated architectures–including software, hardware, storage, and network components–along with documented best practices. It is not a prepackaged or preinstalled Linux configuration (although select Oracle partners offer that service, as well), but it provides recommendations and best practices for organizations to use while making decisions during the purchasing and deployment phases of a Linux implementation. The result is improved performance, scalability and reliability of Linux solutions, with faster, lower-cost implementations.
Oracle works with partners on all aspects of a deployment, from functionality testing and performance optimization to vulnerability assessment and troubleshooting.
The Oracle Validated Configuration test kit is designed to mimic real-world customer environments by simulating those types of workloads and issues. The tests also leverage Oracle’s experience running internal workloads on Linux–such as Oracle On Demand and global IT workloads–and include a variety of configurations, such as different test scenarios for two and four-node Oracle Real Application Clusters. Ultimately, the test kit moves far beyond basic install testing to ensure that a validated configuration of mixed hardware and software will not only install properly but will also run correctly and behave with expected deployment characteristics.
Typical tests include install-related procedures that ensure the components install properly and that any patches are working as intended; functionality-related testing to confirm that operating system requirements are available and working correctly; stress and load testing to verify that the systems will hold up under extreme conditions; and destructive tests, such as pulling the cable on the server or storage, to ensure that components can handle failures gracefully.