[QA.TEM.3] Store and manage test results

Category: FOUNDATIONAL

When tests are run, the results offer insights into the system's health, providing actionable feedback for developers. Establish a structured test result storage strategy to maintain the integrity, relevance, and availability of these results.

Store test results in a centralized system or platform using a machine-readable format, such as JSON or XML. This simplifies comparison and analysis of test results across various test iterations. Configure automated deployment pipelines and individual testing tools to publish test results to this platform immediately upon test completion. Each set of test outcomes should be both timestamped and versioned to enable historical tracking of changes, improvements, or potential regressions.

Test results must be encrypted both at rest and in transit to protect against sensitive data inadvertently being stored in test results. Access to raw test result files should be limited and idempotent, with write access explicitly restricted. To view results on a regular basis, implement tools that allow for visualizations, such as dashboards, charts, or graphs, which provide a summarized view of test results. Grant users and roles access to these tools to review results, identify trends or anomalies, and build reports.

Old test results, while useful for historical context, might not always be necessary to retain indefinitely. Define a policy for test result retention that aligns to your governance and compliance requirements. Ideally, this includes automatically archiving or delete test results to help ensure the system remains uncluttered and cost efficient.

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