The First 100% Fully Automated Sync Server!

Time Machine

In order to understand what really makes the Time Machine Sync Server special, you have to understand Time Machine. Time Machine creates virtual clocks and aid in the easing the pain points associated with testing. Time Machine allows testers to change the clocks without changing the system clock (which can lead to corruption if altered). 

Time Machine Sync Server

Now that you understand the basics of Time Machine, let’s discuss the Time Machine Sync Server (TMSS)! The TMSS is an add-on software stack application to Time Machine that actually allows sync groups to broadcast virtual clocks out to multiple targets in an environment from a singular point by incorporating advanced enterprise security measures.

Security

When using the TMSS, the user with the administrator role is free to modify the sync group and set virtual clocks for those sync groups. However, testers can only set and delete virtual clocks. They cannot add, delete, or even modify the sync group definition. This is incredibly beneficial to the tester because they no longer have to worry about making mistakes that impact the enterprise test environments.

Test Automation

This lack of worry that testers now have is one of TMSS’s largest benefits. Normally, time travel breaks the automation and it is costly and time consuming because manual steps are needed to save face. Often times, all users must log off and the application administrator is forced to shut down the applications. The database administrators then shut down the data base and the system administrators have to change the system clock for all systems involved. At that point, the data administrators have to restart the database and application administrators have to restart the applications. 

With TMSS and Time Machine, all that is forgone and no applications or databases have to shut down or be restarted!

Types of Testing

There are several types of testing methodologies and environments that Time Machine and the TMSS can be used for. For now, we’ll discuss Agile and CI. Agile promotes quick release cycles in weeks, while CI further integrates and automates those quick build releases into test systems and automated tests.  Normally, time travel would break the CI automation cycle as those are costly and time consuming manual steps without Time Machine. Thankfully, the TMSS URL API can complete the CI automation cycle!

In addition to Agile and CI, Time Machine and the TMSS also have advanced capabilities to further assist test automation challenges in the Cloud. In the Cloud, software licenses can be a challenge and there are times when a new license is required for the new test systems that are typically a manual process to the vendor. TMSS URL API supports the sync group definition to be dynamically updated and the TM floating license server can provide licensing on the fly to address such challenges. In fact, TMSS can be used on premise, or in the Cloud, even regardless of time zones. There are no times when TMSS isn’t working for you.  Its support is constant and Time Machine’s virtual clocks continue running even through a reboot as well. TMSS truly is full automation in the Cloud.

Conclusion

While all these features are impressive, you’re asking: what makes it stand out among the rest of the sync servers? Well, that would be the fact that, not only does it further empower testers to automate the whole environment by incorporating advanced enterprise security measures, but it currently stands as the only existing date and time simulation software that is 100% automated. Once TMSS is set, it is completely automated and requires no further button pressing or supervision. This revolutionary aspect to the design makes TMSS one of a kind and it stands apart from every other Sync Server in existence!