TOTSCo

Get ready for OTS

Testing

Our testing approach prepares you for the One Touch Switch go-live. Each step is being executed in a different testing environment.

If you are using a MAP, please review the Working with a MAP page to understand steps you need to take with us and/or your MAP.

Testing Approach

Hub Simulator

Gives you the ability to test connectivity to the hub and to test sending gaining and losing provider messages and receive simulated responses and error messages.

OTS Integration (pre-production)

To test the entire One Touch Switch process from end-to end with another CP using test data.

 

Production Implementation Testing (PIT)

To validate your connection to the live environment and test basic message functionality to ensure you are ready to go for OTS go-live.

Industry Trials (production)

To extensively test the entire One Touch Switch process from end-to-end with real customer data.

TOTSCo Testing

TOTSCo Hub

Testing Advice

You are advised to:

  • use dummy data: real customer data must not be used during simulator and integration testing steps due to security considerations.
  • follow TOTSCo’s specified testing sequence: this ensures smooth progress through each testing step.
  • Complete all the Technical Prerequisites.
  • book only necessary test slots: inform TOTSCo if any cancellations are needed.
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Please ensure that you read the Technical Prerequisites.

Technical Prerequisites

Important First Steps

  1. Whitelist TOTSCo Hub FQDN and IP Addresses
    The most important aspect of your preparation is whitelisting all of the TOTSCo FQDNs and IP addresses for all testing environments. ‘TOTSCo Hub FQDN and IP Addresses’ document can be found in the ‘Manage my Account’ portal under ‘Document Centre’ tab. Please ensure you allow enough time as it may in some cases take up to 4-6 weeks.

  2. Choose your security and authentication protocols
    You need to decide what method of authentication and authorisation you’ll use to connect to the TOTSCo Hub:

    Transport layer security options:
    • TLS to the signed TOTSCo Hub is the default security level.
    • MTLS mutually signed TOTSCo Hub and CP endpoint.


Transaction security options:

    • OAuth2 for either inbound or outbound requests or both
    • API Keys for either inbound or outbound requests or both
    • Use of mTLS alone no transaction security
The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo)

Preparing for Simulator and Integration Testing

You will need to repeat these steps for both testing steps. We require this information three working days before your test slot.

Simulator testing

What you need to do:

  • Whitelist all TOTSCo FQDN (fully qualified domain name) and IP addresses.
  • Tell us your chosen security and authentication, see Technical Prerequisites above. We will request specific information based on the options you choose, i.e. token and/or certificate.
  • Send your public FQDN (fully qualified domain name) and IP address for your system which connect to the Hub for whitelisting.
  • Share your application address(es) for receiving TOTSCo Hub messages.
Simulator testing

What we'll do:

  • Share the link to the ‘TOTSCo Hub FQDN and IP Addresses’ document which can be found in your Account Management Portal in the Document Centre page.
  • Send you our TOTSCo Hub security certificate.
    We will add your return path address(es) for sending you switch messages.
  • We will implement your chosen security protocols (OAuth2, API Key & TLS/mTLS).

Simulator Testing

Entry Criteria

  • Completed your onboarding and received your RCPID


Book a Test Slot and Prepare for Testing

  • Request a testing slot via email to TOTSCo.
  • TOTSCo will confirm or propose an alternative slot.
  • Accept the Microsoft Teams meeting invite for the testing window.
  • We will send you the test cases to use in testing.

Steps to Complete Simulator Testing:

  • Attend your online test slot with the TOTSCo Team.
  • Establish connectivity with the hub.
  • Run your tests as per the test cases document provided.
  • If you encounter issues that can’t resolved during the test slot, we’ll book another test slot to complete simulator testing. If there is an issue with the TOTSCo Hub, we’ll follow our defect management process.


Success Criteria

  • Successfully connecting to the TOTSCo Hub
  • Completing essential tests as specified in the TOTSCo Hub Test Case Doc

You are now ready to move to integration testing.

Integration Testing

Entry Criteria

  • Completed essential tests as specified in the TOTSCo Hub Test Case Document which can be found in your Account Management Portal in the document centre.


Prepare for Testing

  • Send in your technical prerequisites 3 working days before your test slot.
  • Complete the development of your IT stack for OTS switching.
  • Contact the service desk when you are ready to start integration testing.
  • We will pair you up with another CP (buddy) to complete testing.
  • We will set up an introductory call with you and your buddy.
  • We will share with you the test scenario document.

Following the call, you will then decide with your buddy your specific tests (in addition to the generic tests in the test scenario document), test data, test schedule.

Booking a Test Slot

  • Request a three-way testing slot via email to TOTSCo.
  • TOTSCo will confirm or propose an alternative slot.
  • Accept the Microsoft Teams meeting invite for the testing window.

 

Prepare with your Buddy

  • Select and coordinate with a buddy CP to choose test scenarios.
  • Agree on a test plan.
  • Decide on the test data to use during the end-to-end tests.


Steps to complete Integration Testing

Once you have successfully connected with your three-way connection you can now access the integration testing environment independently with your buddy and run your planned tests.

Access the Testing Environment

Once the three-way connection is successful, you can access the testing environment. It’s important to note that while the integration testing environment is available 24/7, technical support is only available during UK business hours (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri).

Success Criteria

  • All 15 individual message types successfully sent and received, utilising the full OTS switch journey for both the gaining provider and the losing provider relevant to each product set. This should include a message delivery failure message from the hub.
  • Conducting extensive testing with your CP partner – for CPs with 50,000 or more customers, we anticipate over 1000 messages tested with at least two CP partners. For CPs with up to 50,000 customers, around 1000 messages tested with a minimum of one CP partner is expected.
  • Confirmation that you have successfully run all your relevant test cases with a partner. 
  • Confirmation that your integration testing has been performed recently.
  • Confirmation you have made no internal system changes.
  • No priority one or priority two defects.  
  • Declaration to be signed (e-signature or email confirmation) by technical director, regulatory manager, company director or equivalent (i.e. UK MD, CEO, CTO or CFO).

Production Implementation Testing

Entry Criteria

  • Completed simulator and integration testing. 

Prepare for Testing

  • Whitelist all TOTSCo FQDN (fully qualified domain name) and IP addresses.

Booking a Test Slot

  • Request a testing slot from 
  • TOTSCo will confirm or propose an alternative slot.
  • Accept the Microsoft Teams meeting invite for the testing window.

TOTSCo Hub

Industry Trials

Industry Trials build on Integration Testing by using real customer data and real switches, to enable users to gain further assurance that the OTS process will work (minimising potential consumer dissatisfaction) at OTS go-live.

Read more
The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo)

Defect and Issue Management

Our complete ITIL change and incident management, along with Service Level Agreements, will begin once we transition to the live production environment (Industry Trials). Meanwhile, during simulator and integration testing, please refer to the following process:

If commercially onboarded raise the incident, issue or enquiry via your Account Management Portal.

Alternatively, you can raise an issue via the service desk. You will be provided a ticket ID. We will update you regularly while the incident is being investigated, this could include inviting you to a trouble shooting test slot.

When your incident has been resolved, we will ask for your acceptance of the resolution before closing the ticket.

Please be aware: while we'll offer a high-level explanation for the incident, a comprehensive root cause analysis report won't be provided at this time.

TOTSCo Hub Incident Management

  • We monitor all testing environments 24/7 365.
  • If we observe a defect affecting the TOTSCo Hub that impacts ALL users, we will email all users who using the testing environment to make them aware of the issue. We'll keep you updated on the incident through ‘TOTSCo Hub Service Update' emails, and we'll also ensure our ‘TOTSCo Hub Service Updates’ page on our website is always up to date.
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