Delphix Products

Hello Gents,
We have multi feature teams working on insurance application, where each team works on a feature and each feature has it's own database, around 18 virtuals databases are there for each feature, the current situation is that we prepare data in our feature files in the form of examples(using gherkin language).

To avoid the data inconsistency due to changes in the databases, we think of:
1- Preparing test data for all features in a master template
2- Before running the automated test:
   - Take a bookmark of the current feature db
   - Refresh the current feature db from the master template to import the test data
   - Perform the automated test
   - Restore the feature db to the bookmark before running the test

I am not sure if this is the best implementation for using Delphix within test automation.
There is a problem with this approach raised by db team regarding the retention policy, they need to refresh the template from production which will wipe out all our test data, how can we tackle this taking into consideration the huge amount and the complex relationships of the data.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but i am seeking your experienced advice.

------------------------------
Ahmed Elsayed
Delphix Community Members
------------------------------

Delphix allows you to have multiple copies of your source (typically production), as well as multiple copies of copies.  All of these VDBs (copies) can have different uses, and they can have different retention policies.  If you bookmark a VDB, it will not get wiped out until the bookmark is removed, even if you refresh the upstream systems.


So a topology like this:

PROD
     VDB_EXACT
          VDB_EXACT_COPY
          VDB_EXACT_COPY
     VDB_EXACT+TEST_DATA ("master template")
           VDB_EXACT+TEST_DATA_COPY
           VDB_EXACT+TEST_DATA_COPY
  
should give you the flexibility you need.  Your DBA team can refresh VDB_EXACT+TEST_DATA from production and readd the test data without impacting downstream copies,  When the teams are ready to take up the newer data, thehy will refresh the _COPY systems.

You can also leverage EXACT_COPY systems for additional use cases:  production bug fix, reporting, query performance tuning, etc.

Hope it helps!

------------------------------
Ranzo Taylor
Technical Services Director
Delphix
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2020 05:59:57 AM
From: Ahmed Elsayed
Subject: Delphix within Test automation

Hello Gents,
We have multi feature teams working on insurance application, where each team works on a feature and each feature has it's own database, around 18 virtuals databases are there for each feature, the current situation is that we prepare data in our feature files in the form of examples(using gherkin language).

To avoid the data inconsistency due to changes in the databases, we think of:
1- Preparing test data for all features in a master template
2- Before running the automated test:
   - Take a bookmark of the current feature db
   - Refresh the current feature db from the master template to import the test data
   - Perform the automated test
   - Restore the feature db to the bookmark before running the test

I am not sure if this is the best implementation for using Delphix within test automation.
There is a problem with this approach raised by db team regarding the retention policy, they need to refresh the template from production which will wipe out all our test data, how can we tackle this taking into consideration the huge amount and the complex relationships of the data.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but i am seeking your experienced advice.

------------------------------
Ahmed Elsayed
Delphix Community Members
------------------------------