Why Security and Outsourcing Are Key Trends in Testing and Performance (Continued)

Market Leaders Are Running in Place
Theresa Lanowitz, Gartner Group's analyst for the testing and performance sector, wrote in a September 2003 report that "challenges for the future of testing include security at the application level, application programming interface testing, and compliance testing. (Newer) vendors are beginning to create products that will have significant effect on the testing market during the next one to two years," she wrote.

Mercury Interactive, with approximately 50 percent of the testing market, remains the segment leader, Gartner reports, followed by Compuware and Parasoft. These three companies have been market leaders for several successive years. Key "niche" players from whom Lanowitz expects innovation include Telelogic, Quest Software, Solstice Software, and RadView Software.

Other leaders are IBM/Rational, Empirix, Segue, and Keynote Systems.

"One of the areas with the greatest potential is API testing at the developer level," Lanowitz said. "Application integration and the continued use of packaged applications will drive API testing to a position of importance in the future. Although new challenges are abundant, the core of testing—functional and performance—will not decrease in importance."

Renewed Emphasis on the Importance of Testing
Software quality in general has not improved markedly in the last 20 years, according to several industry reports. Approximately 85 percent of all software projects either come in over budget, late for the target market, or do not perform up to expectations. Because this number is not getting any better, it follows that testing and performance of new and upgraded applications is more important than ever.

With the advent of the new 64-bit processors this year (from Advanced Micro Devices, and soon from Intel), more-complicated multilayer applications will be forthcoming—requiring even deeper testing processes and mechanisms.

"The bottom line is that IS organizations need to understand the requirement for multiple types and layers of testing," Lanowitz said. "Testing is an important part of the application delivery and management cycle. Enterprises with competencies in testing will be more competitive and successful than those that ignore or delay testing."