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Virtualized ATM Testing: The Time is Now

Steve Gilde May 29, 2019
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After January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide support for the Windows 7 platform. No software updates. No security patches or fixes. No technical support for any issues - although certain enterprise customers may be able to purchase an Extended Security Update (ESU) program.

Microsoft has given the industry 10 years to prepare for this cut-over, and yet many organizations, due to the complexities of our business and competing initiatives, will see their migration projects go right down to the wire.

Not everyone is late to the game, though. As we recently announced, Paragon is (and has been) actively helping several ATM deployers across the globe with their Windows 10 migrations. We specifically designed our VirtualATM solution for just this type of scenario. VirtualATM provides users with automated, comprehensive testing capabilities, including features that allow testers to compare screen images, receipts and results between Windows 7 and Windows 10 devices, as well as generating reports to help identify any potential migration issues.

As a part of these active projects, Paragon has successfully virtualized several of the most common ATM software platforms, including APTRA Edge 10 and APTRA Activate from NCR and VISTA 5.x from Diebold Nixdorf. 

We certainly believe that we are in the right place at the right time with our Next Generation portfolio of payment testing tools and continue to invest in the VirtualATM product to ensure that it meets market requirements. Last week, Paragon announced several significant enhancements including:

  • Our VM Setup Tool accelerates and automates the process of creating a virtual ATM, saving time and improving productivity. The Setup Tool leverages a proprietary script, configuration file and ATM images to provide “one-click” setup of a connection-ready VM containing the virtual ATM image and all the necessary Paragon software.
  • The Detached ATM enhancement saves time and increases efficiency by reducing unproductive downtime. Testers who are called to work on other tasks can leave their virtual ATMs “detached” and running. When they are ready to resume testing, the virtual ATM is immediately ready and in the same state it was in before being detached – with no lengthy wait for the ATM to restart.
  • The VirtualATM host proxy enables faster, easier switching between multiple host systems during testing, allowing users to switch between test host connections with “point and click” ease, eliminating associated ATM application changes and restarts. The host proxy feature also provides greater control of and visibility into the messaging that takes place between the virtual ATMs and test host systems.
  • VirtualATM message importing supports more efficient, accurate creation of automated tests for ATM hosts. Testers can use the VirtualATM Proxy Trace to capture messages that flow between the virtualized ATMs and the test host. Using this trace, selected messages can be imported into Paragon’s Web FASTest platform and easily run against the host system as automated tests.

The migration to Windows 10 is going to be a major effort for everyone in the ATM industry. If you have started your migration project and have all the necessary tools and resources in place, you stand a good chance of beating the deadline and avoiding extra support costs. If you are just getting started, consider using Paragon VirtualATM to help increase productivity, expand test coverage, reduce project risk and improve your chance for success.

Learn More About VirtualATM

 

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