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10.5.2021Testimate has been the partner of data security company SSH since 2016. Currently, Testimate focuses on developing test automation in an environment that is highly challenging in terms of technology and quality.
SSH Communications Security Oyj develops the world’s leading data security solutions for a variety of international customers from financial operators to central governments. To provide a few examples, Testimate’s experts work on product projects centring around access control solutions, data security equipment and encryption software.
Depending on individual products, SSH releases 3-6 product versions per year. Since the transition to a new product version is always a significant undertaking from the end customer’s perspective, testing before release is incredibly important. The tolerance for errors is small – the released products must function flawlessly.
“Each released product absolutely has to work without fail. Testing plays an essential role.”
— Samuli Lehti, Team Lead, SSH
Within SSH’s product development teams, tests are carried out by programmers who develop features and QA specialist who focus exclusively on testing. Testimate’s experts focus on developing and maintaining the test automation.
“Using test automation is more or less a practical requirement. With the range of features in our product, we would not be able to ensure a high-quality release without automation.”
— Tomi Salo, Team Lead, Senior SW Architect, SSH
Cybersecurity products are significantly more complex than normal online services. The testing requires technical expertise, since the practical tests are carried out using command lines and APIs instead of user interfaces. The testers always require sufficient technical skills and knowledge.
“Our projects require testers to have solid programming expertise as well as an understanding of online topologies, databases and certificates. It is also important to look into matters and solve problems independently.”
— Samuli Lehti, Team Lead, SSH
The cooperation between Testimate and SSH has been smooth in the context of continuous cooperation and individual projects.
“The cooperation has lasted long enough without major changes to ensure that the tester is very well aware of our needs. We benefit from top professional expertise and in-depth experience, which helps us develop our processes. Testimate absolutely has my recommendation.”
— Samuli Lehti, Team Lead, SSH
“A Testimate expert created an automated regression testing environment for our project. We decided to rely on the professional competence of a consultant – we needed a true expert and that is exactly what we got.”
— Tomi Salo, Team Lead, Senior SW Architect, SSH
Experts’s perspective
The work with SSH has been diverse: refactoring test automation for improved speed and maintenance, and constructing scalable automated performance testing.
Tests related to data security are technical processes. To ensure smooth team work, the tester must understand the technical concepts at play, as well as the programming language and tools to be used. On a personal level, my programming expertise helped, but I also needed the courage to roll up my sleeves to learn and try new things.
Working with the SSH team has been a positive experience – the customer’s teams are solution-oriented and the best at what they do.
Juhani Peltonen, Senior QA Consultant, Testimate
Interviewees
