Benefits of Testing on Dedicated Devices

When it comes to app testing, you have options. You can go the on-prem route and test on physical devices in your office. Or you can choose a cloud infrastructure, which allows you to test on devices remotely. From there you can choose from two different deployment types: public or private clouds. Perfecto is happy to offer both a public cloud and a private cloud with access to dedicated devices for our customers.

This blog will break down public and private clouds and the benefits of using dedicated devices. Just keep reading to learn more and see if they are right for you.

What are Dedicated Devices?

Dedicated devices for mobile app testing are devices in a mobile testing cloud that are reserved for a specific user. Having dedicated devices allows the user full control and visibility.

Public Cloud vs. Private Cloud With Dedicated Devices

More organizations are choosing enterprise cloud-based testing to eliminate the headache of managing on-prem labs and support remote testing teams.

Cloud-based solutions offer a number of advantages to dev and testing teams over on-prem solutions. For example, cloud test automation offers:

• Quick access to platform updates and new devices/platforms to test against.
• Remote access for global teams or those who are working from home.
• Enterprise-grade scalability of automated testing.
• Extended test coverage of scenarios and platforms.
• Improved collaboration across the whole team.

Public Clouds

If you want to use a cloud infrastructure for testing, you can choose from a public cloud or a private cloud. Public clouds house devices that are shared among various teams. These devices are used for testing, then wiped clean for the next user. For some teams, public testing clouds make sense.

The Complete Guide to Mobile Automation Testing

Public clouds are an excellent entry point for teams looking to get started with cloud-based testing. They cost less than a private cloud, while still offering access to the devices and browsers teams need for extended test coverage. And they also offer better security and scalability than on-prem solutions.

Private Clouds

On the other hand, private clouds hold dedicated devices for individual teams to use for their specific testing needs. No one else can access these devices.

Private clouds with dedicated devices can offer advanced network connections. For example, Perfecto’s private clouds come with access to cellular service, allowing you to do real user simulation testing and test your app under varying network conditions.

Security is also unparalleled in private clouds. Because of this, dedicated devices are the preferred testing method for certain industries needing to meet strict security protocols, such as banking and financial services.

How Do Dedicated Devices Work?

Many companies prefer to have a privately-hosted testing cloud for the most secure and custom experience. A private cloud model is specific to a single organization. All users, tests, reports, and devices are 100% dedicated to the private cloud. Absolutely nothing is shared.

In a private cloud, you choose which devices and browsers you want. Devices can be allocated to teams as required and there are no time limits. Within the private cloud, your organization has full control over their dedicated devices and security, including VPN and whitelisting.

Private cloud packages also come with advanced features and unlimited scaling. The private cloud offering is perfect for organizations seeking full control over the devices, value the private security that can be applied to this type of cloud, or are looking to scale test automation.

Dedicated devices, or private devices, are key to success in continuous testing, where the goal is to test early and test often. 

3 Benefits of Testing on Dedicated Devices

1. Account & App Management

Dedicated devices give you 24/7 device availability for your organization, so you never have to worry about devices being in-use when you need them.

Dedicated devices also allow you to keep the same user environment, like:

• Same device configuration (model and OS).
• Same installed and running apps.
• Logged in accounts (app stores).
• GPS location.
• Device language.

In the Perfecto platform, we also allow users to control more advanced settings, like:

• Network state of the device (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, and more).
• Fingerprint or FaceID enrollment.
• SIM card with international number.

Not having to set up these user environments each time you run your tests makes for simpler and faster execution.

2. Unparalleled Security

In testing, dedicated devices simply offer better security. There are several environments that need to be reached during testing:

• Staging.
• QA.
• Pre-prod.
• Prod.

For low-tier environments, like staging and QA, access may be established via VPN or a whitelisting only. At Perfecto, we keep the data secured and only private devices can access customer-sensitive data environments.

3. Better End-User Experiences

For true end-user experience monitoring, you need real devices, real networks, real transactions, and fault tolerant monitoring to get insights. Testing on dedicated devices allows you to capture a truer end-user experience to serve users with confidence.

Luckily, today’s cloud-based solutions provide on-demand access to more robust UX monitoring solutions designed specifically for mobile apps. When it comes to selecting a mobile-specific UX monitoring solution, follow these industry best practice recommendations:

• Proactive monitoring on real devices connected to active networks worldwide.
• On-demand anytime, anywhere access to performance data.
• Support for advanced mobility functions, like speech, contextual notifications, call features, etc.
• Proactive end-to-end analysis of high value transactions.

Bottom Line

You have a choice when it comes to cloud testing on public or private clouds.

Dedicated devices on private clouds give you total control of the testing process, provide better experiences for users, and are the most secure way to test apps. For teams in industries with sensitive customer information and strict security regulations, dedicated devices will be the smartest choice for you. For other teams, public clouds may make more sense.

Perfecto Has Both Public & Private Clouds

Perfecto, the world’s only end-to-end continuous testing cloud, offers both public and private cloud options for web and mobile app testing. We can help you decide which type of cloud is right for you.

Either way, with Perfecto you get:

• A prescriptive and customized blueprint to success.
• A unified solution for cross-platform testing.
• A team of experts to help you reach your automation goals.
• Test automation creation options, like codeless and BDD.
• Built-in analytics to identify defects quickly.

Get a custom demo of Perfecto to:

• Get a guided tour of Perfecto’s testing cloud.
• See if dedicated devices would be right for you.
• Learn more about our testing cloud subscription plans.

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