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Software Testers Welcome Pack (Intro)
Welcome to the Software Test Team.
You are new here and you want to get a first overview about Sotware Testing you found the exact right place.
On this and the following pages you find a step-by-step introduction into CAcert Software Testing.
If you feel comfortable and you decide to join and help with the Software Test Team feel free to ask the Test Team Leader or any active Software tester (see Software/TestTeam).
Hi interested Software Tester,
Anybody is basically qualified for the job =;)
Due to the fact that obviously everybody can work with the CAcert website … and for the start nothing more is needed … the rest comes with the time being 
Good that you are interested in helping the Software Test Team.
For the start a few background informations:
What is known as Software Testing within CAcert?
Well CAcert runs a PKI infrastructure and is split in these areas
- Registration Authority (RA), that is where we do the assurances and
- Certificate Authority (CA), these are our systems
- Hardware in a highly secured environment
- Software for maintaining the user database and the certificate management via web interface called Webdb.
The Webdb is the place where Software Testing is needed.
As the Webdb is a security risk system there are special procedures for maintenance of the software.
As everything within CAcert is working with the 4-eyes-principle this also applies to the software update which is done with (at least) 4 eyes.
In December 2009 the Software-Assessment Project [1] was started. We, a group of appointed Software-Assessors [2] and Critical Sysadmins as well as other interested persons, specialist and managers started first a procedure how to do a software update that is in compliance with the audit criteria, which means traceable.
So it was started with setting up a defined test environment ( server, software with the same the same version as in the life system), setup of a central software repository, creating, testing and establishing of a software update cycle procedure so that in September 2010 the first patch was put audit compliant to the production system.
Central part of this Software-Update-Cycle Procedure [3] is the test team that should test the patches under any thinkable conditions.
As the Webdb is as web application the tests are done over the internet with a web browser.
Which browser you take is up to you. What is also important that you do not need to install any specific software on you computer.
Preconditions for Software Tester:
Computer with internet access
Any web browser will do
And off you go ….
What is to test?
In principle all functions that are present on the CAcert live system (www.cacert.org) are tested on the test server.
There will be also some features and patches that a normal user will not see. If there is more background information needed feel free to ask the test team members for assistance (see ….)
Some of the features belong to the Organization Assurance or the Support-Engineers, the sysadmin of the Webdb application ….
Another project which is under development in the Software-Assessment-Project is covering
Automated Testing System [4] on the basis of CI + CD (continuous-integration & continuous-deployment).
Keyword: automated quality control
If you are experienced we are looking for people who can help us there ….
OK that should be enough for the moment …
There is plenty more to tell but I do not want to overload anybody.
Therefore I come to a first end and wait for your questions …
Yours
Test Teamleader
[1] Software/Assessment Software-Assessment Project
[2] Software/Assessment/Team Software-Assessors
[3] Software/Assessment/Documentation Software-Update-Cycle Prozedur
[4] Software/Assessment/AutomatedTestingSystem Automated Testing System
What is next ?
Software Testteam Welcome Pack