![IBM Rational Test Virtualization Server [EOL] Logo](https://images.peerspot.com/image/upload/c_scale,dpr_3.0,f_auto,q_100,w_100/vrgt1zpi8gqi3wy9lt9smu963yx9.jpg?_a=BACAGSGT)
Testing environments are often expensive and can have limited availability. IBM Rational Test Virtualization Server helps you shift testing to the left by removing dependencies on components that are unavailable or already in use. These components are simulated at the API layer, supporting a wide variety of technologies, allowing your team to test the riskiest elements earlier in the delivery lifecycle.
| Title | Rating | Mindshare | Recommending | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcom Service Virtualization | 4.1 | 26.7% | 92% | 97 interviewsAdd to research |
| OpenText Service Virtualization | 4.0 | 15.9% | 90% | 22 interviewsAdd to research |
IBM Rational Test Virtualization Server [EOL] was previously known as Green Hat, IBM RTVS.
Sandhata Technologies Ltd., Qantas Airways
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| IT Analyst at Tata Consultancy Services | 4.0 | I highly recommend this service virtualization tool. It accelerates testing with great stability, scalability, and support. Despite needing reporting and script editing improvements, its ROI and cost-effectiveness are compelling. |
| Architect: Service Virtualization, DevOps and Automation at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees | 3.5 | I found IBM RTVS excellent for IBM MQ and its validations, and it's stable. However, I'm disappointed by its patch dependency, low user-friendliness (5/10), and the tediousness of custom features, despite its overall effectiveness. |
| Vice President And Global Head Of Alliances And Partnerships at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees | 4.0 | I consider this a stable, scalable, and versatile token-based solution excellent for automation, backed by superb support. Although it's expensive and not yet cloud-based, I highly recommend buying it for its features and savings. |
| Head of Test Centre of Excellence at Maersk Line | 4.5 | I highly recommend IBM RTVS for stable, scalable service virtualization. Its technical support is excellent, despite initial Linux setup challenges and peripheral reporting needing improvement. Overall, it's a robust tool. |
The tool is helping us to build various virtual services for various middle layer components: MQ, REST, and SOAP services.
Using service virtualization, we are able to accelerate the testing and development activity.
Without SV, integration testing would not have been smooth and fast in the lower environment
As we have used most of the MQ stub, "MQ recording" is the most useful feature. Its flexibility to configure various MQ recording methods as per the implementation and "pass through" feature.
As per my working experience over the last three and half years with RIT/RTVS, I would consider the two following areas of improvement:
The tool has very good stability. We are running approximately 200 odd services.
The tool has a good scale. Initially, we purchased the license tool for about 200 services, now we are running around 400 services without an issue.
Customer Service:
Customer service is excellent. It has 24/7 customer support.
Technical Support:
Technical support is excellent. It has 24/7 technical support. For any issue related to the tool, we log a PMR. The IBM team reviews the PMR and the issue turns into a defect, then typically within four to five days, they release hotfixes for the identified defect.
I have used many tools for service virtualization, like IBM RIT, CA LISA (now known as CA Service Virtualization DevTest Solution), and SoapUI.
Every tool has its own pros and cons. However, CA LISA/DevTest is the best.
I would suggest IBM RTVS, if cost factor is the priority.
To set up the service virtualization framework, it is straightforward.
For every process, IBM has very good knowledge documentation along with tech notes, which is really helpful.
We implemented the solution in-house. If we needed a hand with the installation or initial setup, the IBM team was very supportive.
We have improved productivity about 90%.
The product has a free trial available, which has saves on the initial investment costs.
We actually evaluated a couple of service virtualization options: CA LISA and IBM RTVS.
We did try RTVS as the organization had a tie-up with IBM, and other software too, hence commercially, it was benefits for us. Also, RTVS has a free one month trial, so we could experience the tool before we actually purchased the license. Also, IBM RTVS is far cheaper than CA LISA, which provides a similar SV solution.
Certainly, I would recommend it. The reason being that it supports the major, latest transport and data protocols, plus it has rigorous infrastructure implementation.
It helped us to build IBM MQ based stubs and automated test cases swiftly. Organization for which I use this in exploring the latest technologies and IBM MQ is wide spread among all. IBM RTVS helped to play with MQ where RFH, RFH2 headers were used to carry data.
IBM RTVS has many useful features, but support for IBM MQ over this tool is unbeatable. It has very easy and good validation techniques used for SWIFT, XSD, and WSDL validations. Another feature is where we can specify optional nodes/tags of XML or any other type of message format within the test and stub definitions. This is also unbeatable.
One of the biggest disappointments for me and my team was dependency on various patches, or so call clients for every single technology. You have to download and install clients for HTTP/ MQ/ JMS or any other type of protocol. Ideally, the tool should come as a complete package having support for all technologies and protocols.
User friendliness: I would rate it somewhere around 5/10 in terms of user-friendliness. It can be simpler to build stubs and middle-ware based test cases compared to the solution given by RTVS.
The tool is pretty much stable. You generally don't face many issues with the given tool and features.
There are so many challenges and dependencies in order to add custom features to the tool. It has very limited assertions, filters, and the addition any of the custom solutions is a tedious job.
Customer Service:
Customer service was excellent when IBM owned this tool. Now HCL has took over, so we'll have to wait for their services.
Technical Support:
Some of the excellent members who were part of Greenhat are still part of this tool. If you encounter any problems, and if you are lucky enough to get support from any of them, then trust me that you are in safe hands.
I have used many tools for service virtualization like, IBM RIT, CA LISA (now known as CA Service Virtualization DevTest Solution), HPE Virtualization, and Parasoft. Every tool has its own pros and cons. However, CA LISA/ DevTest is still the king of the ring and is unbeatable.
The initial setup was very simple and straightforward. However, setting up RTVS, its database, and patches is somewhere between medium and complex. However, as you start using it, with time you will find it simple.
We set up everything on our own, but a little support was given by the support team when needed. You need to raise support cases to get expert help.
We improved productivity by 200%, but it has nothing to do with any specific tool in this field. Any tool can give you 200% of up to 500% quick solution, considering you have the right skill set and the exact tool to meet your requirements.
IBM RTVS is not that expensive compare to other giants, but it is still much ahead of some other tool having less features. Always check what you need, assess tools based on your requirements, and then purchase. Generally, people run behind big names and invest so much money, but we should know we are going to purchase and what the plan is to utilize the given services.
We evaluated other solutions, but there is separate body for tools and licensing who makes the final decisions.
Always check for your requirements first, choose the tool wisely, and then try to learn the tool and technology beforehand.
Overall, IBM RTVS is a very good tool and it works very well on a Windows platform. Some of the feature would amaze you and you will love it!
The tokens can be reconfigured after their use. You can go and make use cases out of the tokens.
The solution can do automation for:
That means the token is multi-faceted. It has multi-use features which are actually very affordable.
They need to move it to the cloud. I don't think there is a big challenge out there. The limit, per se, is not there. It is still expensive.
It's very stable. It is a rock-solid product. There is a possibility of about 20-32% cost savings.
It's scalable. It is basically token-based technology, so you can buy thousands of tokens and run thousands of processes. It is very scalable.
I would give technical support a rating of 10/10. They are fabulous. In fact, they come on site and even help you implement.
They are knowledgeable, responsive, and reliable. They are a little expensive, but everything else is fine.
The installation was not difficult. It is very dynamic. You have to install it based on use-case end requirements. You have to configure it differently for each one.
We have almost 2,500 different instances configured. We installed it on our own. If we need help, we call, and they come. Otherwise, we manage on our own.
My advice for someone looking for this type of solution is that he should buy it.
When looking for a vendor, the requirements are very different, in terms of applications and infrastructure. If it is in the infrastructure space, we look at different vendors. If it is in application space, we look at different vendors.
We use it for service virtualization in our company.
I am reviewing this product more for its Rational Test Virtualization Server - RTVS feature (the RIT aspect). The RTVS tool is something that comes in a package along with the Rational Test Workbench.
The main feature of the product is to support you with service virtualization for various components. However, some peripheral features need vast improvement, namely the reporting and the dashboard areas.
I work very closely with the IBM product management team, and I know that in the next release, they are going to drop in some of these reporting features.
We bought this product at the end of the year 2013 and have been using it ever since.
It is an absolutely stable tool and we have not experienced any downtime. It couldn't have been better. We have been using this tool for approximately 300-odd services, and we have not experienced an issue with it even once.
It has a lot of scalability. Initially, we purchased this tool with 10 goals in mind, but we haven’t used it for more than eight goals. Even with these goals, it wasn't that difficult to actually scale the product. Our initial plan was to start out with 100 services or so. From then, we have grown three fold, reaching to around 300 services today. In spite of that, we have experienced no major issues whatsoever.
Their technical support is a big strong point.
Ours is an independent challenge union that performs test environments. We were looking out for tools that would help us support challenges better. After a lot of market research, we procured the IBM tool as it provided us with a service virtualization solution that was apt for our environment.
We had some issues to start with as their documentation, although good, is Windows based. Because we were using Linux-based services, this gave rise to some challenges during installation. Eventually, this was resolved by an IBM technical consultant, who walked us through the entire process. I guess if you have good relationships with IBM, they do actually provide you with over-and-above technical support hours varying according to the terms of the contract.
This product has a free trial available with limited features, saving on initial investment costs.
Indeed, I would recommend it; one major reason being that this product not only has a robust infrastructure implementation, it also has good technical support supporting standards from IBM.
This tool has been developed by another company which has now been bought by IBM, yet they (IBM) have retained the entire team, which possesses immense experience and also provides support in case you get stuck. In other words, if you know to make use of this tool appropriately, it could harness great benefits for your organization.
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