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Connect devices to Digital Lab

You can connect an unlimited number of devices to Digital Lab. This section covers the types of devices that you can connect to the device lab for testing mobile apps.

For details on running tests on cloud desktop browsers, see Browser lab.

Connect on-premises and cloud devices

You can connect on-premises devices and cloud devices to Digital Lab. You can connect physical devices or emulators/simulators.

The following on-premises devices can be connected to Digital Lab:

On-premises devices
Physical devices Physical devices can be plugged directly into the Digital Lab server machine, or into a different machine using the standalone connector. For details on how to connect physical devices to Digital Lab, see Connect Android mobile devices and Connect iOS mobile devices.

Emulators/ Simulators

You can connect the following to Digital Lab:

  • Android AVD emulators

  • Genymotion desktop emulated devices (Relevant only for UFTDigital Lab)
  • iOS simulators

For details on connecting local emulators, see Connect emulators.

For details on connecting simulated iOS devices, see iOS simulator (Tech preview).

The following cloud devices can be connected to Digital Lab:

Cloud devices
OpenText hosted devices

You can access OpenText hosted devices from Digital Lab. This enables you to test your app on a larger selection of devices, without having to acquire and maintain the devices. After you set up the OpenText hosted device lab integration, you can connect OpenText hosted devices from Digital Lab. For details, see OpenText hosted lab integration.

Both public and private hosted devices are available:

  • Private hosted devices are devices that OpenText procures and deploys on your behalf. These devices are available for your exclusive use during the contract period, and only accessible to members of your organization. For more details, see Connect OpenText hosted private devices

  • Public hosted devices are shared with other organizations. For more details, see Connect OpenText hosted public devices.

Note: A thorough clean-up is performed on public devices at the end of every session.

AWS Device Farm

After you set up the AWS Device Farm integration, you can connect ADF devices from Digital Lab.

For more details, see Connect AWS Device Farm devices.

Relevant only for UFT Digital Lab and UFT Digital Lab managed SaaS.

Genymotion Cloud Android emulators

After you set up the Genymotion Cloud integration, you can connect Genymotion Cloud emulators from Digital Lab.

For more details, see Connect a Genymotion Cloud emulator.

Relevant only for UFTDigital Lab and UFTDigital Lab managed SaaS.

WeTest Tencent devices

After you set up the Tencent WeTest Device Farm integration, you can connect private devices hosted by WeTest from Digital Lab.

For more details, see Connect a Tencent WeTest device.

Relevant only for UFT Digital Lab and UFTDigital Lab managed SaaS.

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Supported and certified devices

Before connecting a device, check that the operating system of your device is supported by Digital Lab. For details on supported and certified devices, see the Support matrix. For limitations regarding specific operating systems, see the Known issues section of the Support matrix.

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Physical device connectivity

Follow these guidelines when connecting your devices to a server or connector machine:

USB connection Configure the USB connection to connect your device to Digital Lab. On most devices, the File transfer/MTP option should be used, however this may differ depending on your device. If the device fails to connect, use the USB connection option specified by your device’s user guide.
USB cables

Connect the devices with a genuine USB cable. A non-genuine cable may cause a connection failure.

You can connect devices with a USB cable to a Digital Lab connector machine. You can also connect devices with a USB cable directly to a server machine. The server installation includes an embedded connector.

USB ports

The following ports are supported:

  • USB 2.0 ports.

  • USB 3.0 ports are supported provided that both the USB port and USB hubs are USB 3.0 compliant

USB hubs

USB hubs are supported for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 with power adapters that comply with the Battery Charging (BC) 1.2 standard.

For recommended models, see Admin best practices.

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Best practice guidelines for devices

The following are some best practices for devices:

  • Place the devices in a cool space to prevent overheating.
  • Reduce the screen brightness of devices to the minimum, to reduce power consumption and heat generation.
  • Use certified USB hubs that can provide adequate charging power.
  • Place the devices in a vertical position to facilitate a smooth change in orientation (portrait to landscape) in the remote device view.
  • Perform manual battery charging cycles as part of the device maintenance, by disconnecting the device from Digital Lab and letting the battery drain completely.
  • Make sure the battery is within a reasonable time of its recommended life, as specified by the manufacturer and covered by the warranty.
  • Once a week, perform a visual inspection of the battery, and remove any devices with swollen batteries.

Swollen Batteries

Swollen batteries are a common problem with any device using lithium-ion batteries, such as mobile devices, laptops, and smart watches. When lithium-ion batteries are overheated, overcharged, or several years old, the inner cells of the battery may emit a flammable electrolyte mixture, causing the battery to swell. Following the best practices may help to avoid swollen batteries.

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Workflow for connecting a device

Use the flowchart to guide you through the process of connecting a device to Digital Lab. For details, see Workflow to connect a device.

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See also: