Testing in the Imperial Database - Samuel Nitsche
13th January 2023
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Locked
Samuel Nitsche
Senior Software Developer
Talk Description
In a fast-changing tech world, there is one thing that commonly stays the same for years or even decades: the system that holds the data. This data is often one of the most important assets of a business and it’s critical to keep it safe and in good condition.
In this highly entertaining, light-hearted talk, I want to show you that it’s not only viable but also a lot of fun to do this directly at the database level!
Join me on a journey to the infamous Death Star, where the Galactic Empire runs the Imperial Database™ with all the expectable problems of a complex, long-running software system.
It has survived numerous iterations of different frontend systems - and we are suddenly responsible to ensure the stability and reliability of the data, while constantly dealing with new changes and features.
We will quickly learn that there are some special challenges when testing in relational databases, and meeting a real Sith Lord face-to-face is only one of them. On the other hand, we will also learn about new friends and use practical examples to answer a number of questions:
- What can we test for in a database on a high and low level?
- How can we introduce automated tests to a database?
- And what are these ancient relational force techniques that can be used to prevent errors before they appear?
While the Imperial Database™ runs on Oracle, all of the examples will be presented in a way that is adaptable to other relational databases.
Having beginner-knowledge about SQL is beneficial for attendees.
What you’ll learn
By the end of this talk, you'll be able to:
- What can be (automatically) tested for in a database on a high and low level
- How can automated tests be introduced to a database
- How can core features of relational databases be leveraged to help us with test data setup and cleanup
- How can the relational model help with ensuring data quality
Samuel Nitsche
Senior Software Developer
Samuel Nitsche is a curiosity-driven software developer who programs, learns and collaborates in the software trade since the early 2000s.
He works as Senior Software Developer and trainer at Smart Enterprise Solutions GmbH.
His main interest is on modern database development, automated testing and code quality, topics he writes regularly about on different platforms (e.g. his blog https://developer-sam.de, Simple-Talk and several Oracle-related print magazines).
He is an Oracle ACE, one of the main contributors and maintainers of utPLSQL (http://utplsql.org) and loves to share his experience in an entertaining way - gladly in Sith robes - at meetups and conferences.
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