Automatic Test Execution Overview

You can run tests in a Default test set automatically from Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). You can choose to run tests on your machine or on remote testing hosts. A testing host is any machine connected to your network on which a testing tool has already been installed.

As opposed to Functional test sets, which use server-side execution and do not require user intervention during test execution, Default test sets use client-side execution, where the user must start and manage test execution.

You can choose to run all of the tests in a test set, or specific tests, including both automated and manual tests.

  • When you run an automated test, ALM opens the selected testing tool automatically, runs the test on your local machine or on remote hosts, and exports the results to ALM.
  • When you run a manual test from the Automatic Runner dialog box and specify a remote host, ALM notifies a designated tester by email to run the test on the specified host.

You can also run an automated system test to provide system information, capture a desktop image, or restart a machine. For details on system tests, see Create tests.

For task details, see How to Run Tests Automatically.