Skip to main content

OpenLab Storage System Test

The OpenLab Storage System Test confirms that the storage system can store, secure, and maintain files and folders the way a regulated lab depends on. It performs real file and folder operations against the backend in use, then checks that each operation behaved correctly and was recorded in the activity log. The test is recommended on Server, Workstation Plus, and Workstation systems; it can also be run on other deployment types, although it is not recommended there. It was formerly called the Data Integrity and Traceability Test.

What the test verifies​

The test acts on the actual storage backend, so what it checks depends on the storage system in use: the local file system on a Workstation, OpenLab ECM, or Secure Storage (the storage behind OpenLab Server and OpenLab ECM XT). Across these backends it is verifying the same underlying promises about how data is handled.

  • Files and folders survive a full lifecycle. Folders are created, copied, moved, renamed, and deleted, and files are uploaded, downloaded, copied, and moved, with each step confirmed.
  • Stored data is intact. A downloaded file is compared by checksum against what was uploaded, so the storage system is shown to return exactly what it was given.
  • Versioning is honored. Re-uploading a file increments its revision, and check-in and check-out produce new versions and change the file's status correctly.
  • Access is controlled. A file that one user has checked out cannot be modified or checked in by another, and only users with the right permission can delete a folder or sign a file.
  • Everything is traceable. The activity log records each operation, and the test verifies that the expected entries are present.

On a local file system the test concentrates on the file and folder operations and their integrity checks; on OpenLab ECM and Secure Storage it additionally covers versioning, electronic signing, and search. On OpenLab ECM it also verifies file associations and user-defined attributes, which are not checked on Secure Storage. The test creates the folder structures and users it needs, then cleans them up when it finishes.

The test is meaningful only where there is a supported storage system to exercise. On an unsupported storage backend the test is disabled and explains why rather than running an empty check.

Why it needs a license and a privileged user​

The Storage System Test requires a license — the same license that covers the Security Test — so one license entitles a machine to run both. On Workstation Plus the license is included; on other products it is purchased and installed separately. The license check runs at the start of execution and the test fails there if no license is available.

The person running the test must hold the System Administrator role with the Manage Security privilege, and on ECM backends additional content and system permissions are required so the test can perform and audit its operations.

Relationship to the Security Test​

Because both tests provision test users and read the activity log, they are coordinated. Under ECM or internal authentication each test uses its own separate test users, so they can run at the same time. Under domain authentication they share user setup and must run one after the other, since the Security Test changes a user's permissions in a way that would interfere with the Storage System Test running concurrently. If you configure both tests to share the same domain test users and allow them to be removed, take care not to run them together, because one test can delete the users the other still needs.

Configuration​

Most configurations need no setup. Configuration is required for Secure Storage with domain authentication, where a Configure button lets you supply the two test users. For an OpenLab ECM backend, configuration is optional and controls the file-search check, including how long the test waits for an uploaded file to be indexed before searching for it. The quick-search check (Verify quick search by uploading a file and searching for it) is selected by default, and the indexing wait time defaults to 600 seconds (10 minutes) and can be set as high as 9999 seconds for an environment where indexing is slow. For the steps, see Run verification tests.

Where it fits​

The Storage System Test report records the storage product and version, the configuration, the test users and roles, each sub-test result, and the activity-log checks. It is stored with the other reports in the OpenLab storage backend, included in the overall Summary report, and available from the home page and the execution history.

See also​