Each month, the team at Readiness analyses the latest Patch Tuesday updates from Microsoft and provides detailed, actionable testing guidance. This guidance is based on assessing a large application portfolio and a detailed analysis of the Microsoft patches and their potential impact on the Windows platforms and application installations.
Key test scenarios : PRINT
For this October release cycle from Microsoft, we have grouped the critical updates and required testing efforts into separate product and functional areas including:
Microsoft SQL Server
With two updates to Microsoft SQL Server this month, desktop (or client) testing will be required for data-driven applications. We recommend that the following SQL related tests are included in the testing cycle for October:
- Validate SQL Commands and stored procedures.
- Ensure data “Refresh” operations perform correctly with Microsoft Active Data (ADOX) objects. These are difficult operations to debug due to the generally large number of inter-connected objects (data-bases and systems) and the business criticality of these systems. Start early on this testing effort.
- Test out queries that accept large numbers of parameters. SQL parameter boundary testing is probably a good idea.
Windows
While the primary testing scenario for this October update is really to test PRINTING, there is a huge amount to test this month. Microsoft has made significant changes to broad areas in networking, low-level changes to the Kernel and graphics handler (GDI) and updates to core features including Microsoft Hyper-V. A feature-by-feature testing regime should include the following
- Networking: Test large file transfers (include IPv6) over remote desktop connections, VPN’s and varied network conditions. Web browsing tests should include multiple simultaneous connections and messaging applications such as MIcrosoft Teams should be included in this testing cycle.
- Security: Ensure that (internal) code still performs cryptographic functions accurately using RSA keys. Authentication should work correctly between both Microsoft and Linux systems. A validation of Kerberos client authentication will also be required.
- Remote Desktop: updates to Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Server (RRAS) server will require remote access administrative action testing. Remote desktop licensing will require functionality testing. The remote desktop related API’s MprConfigFilterSetInfo and MprInfoBlockRemove have been updated, so internally developed systems that connect with RRAS will require an authentication test.
- Windows Error Logs: Due to a change in the Windows Common Logging File System (CLFS) a quick test of resultant container files is required.
The primary focus of this month’s update cycle should be on testing printing (again). Rather than a simple (does it actually print) test, more complex print related testing regimes are required this month, including:
- Validating text rendering and formatting for entire documents
- Starting, stopping and disabling printer queues
- Printing across a “matrix” of 32 and 64-bit platforms that includes variations of both desktop and server environments. I feel here that the main challenges will be found with 32-bit applications on 64-bit platforms (Adobe Reader, we are looking at you).
- Install and uninstall 3rd party software management software on both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms.
