CTAL-TAE · Question #117
You are executing the first test run of a test automation suite of 200 tests. All the relevant information related to the state of the SUT and to the automated test execution is stored in a small…
The correct answer is C. Take a backup of the database in its current state. So It can be analyzed later. Taking a backup of the database immediately after the abnormal termination preserves the exact failure state as evidence - without it, any subsequent action (re-running tests, restoring consistency) would overwrite the precise conditions that caused the crash, making root-cause…
Question
You are executing the first test run of a test automation suite of 200 tests. All the relevant information related to the state of the SUT and to the automated test execution is stored in a small database. During the Automated test run you observe that the first 10 test pass, while an abnormal termination occurs when executing the 11th test. This test does not complete its execution and the overall execution of the suite is aborted. An immediate analysis of the abnormal termination is expected to be time consuming and you have been asked to produce a detailed report of the execution results for the first test run, as soon as possible. What is the MOST important FIRST step to be taken immediately after the abnormal occurred when executing the 11th test?
Options
- ARe-run the test automation suite starting from the 12th test
- BReturn the database to a consistent state that allows subsequent test to run
- CTake a backup of the database in its current state. So It can be analyzed later
- DRe-run the test automation suite starting from the 1st test.
How the community answered
(53 responses)- A11% (6)
- B4% (2)
- C79% (42)
- D6% (3)
Explanation
Taking a backup of the database immediately after the abnormal termination preserves the exact failure state as evidence - without it, any subsequent action (re-running tests, restoring consistency) would overwrite the precise conditions that caused the crash, making root-cause analysis impossible later.
Why the distractors are wrong:
- A (re-run from test 12): Skipping the failed test and continuing would corrupt the database state further and lose the failure evidence, producing an incomplete and unreliable report.
- B (restore database to consistent state): This is necessary eventually, but doing it first destroys the very data you need to analyze - you'd be cleaning the crime scene before photographing it.
- D (re-run from test 1): Restarting the entire suite immediately overwrites the current database state, eliminating all forensic information about what went wrong at test 11.
Memory tip: Think of it like a car accident - before you move the vehicles or call a tow truck, you take photos. In test automation, the database at the moment of failure is your "accident scene photo." Preserve first, act second.
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