Customer Background
Our customer, a prominent Canada-based manufacturer, specialises in delivering intelligent building solutions tailored for residential, commercial, retail, educational facilities, and data centers. With over two decades of experience, they have established a global presence across multiple market segments, driven by a strong commitment to enhancing efficiency and creating healthier, more sustainable environments for all.
Customer Need
To ensure compatibility between newer BACnet-based systems and legacy devices operating on the LON protocol (which were still actively deployed in the field), the customer needed a reliable testing solution. Additionally, validating new features required extensive support, and manually execution of numerous test cases proved time-consuming. Automation became essential for improving efficiency and achieving seamless integration. With 25+ years of testing expertise, leadership in BACnet solutions, and the distinction of operating the world’s largest BACnet Test Reference Lab, we were the ideal partner for this critical endeavour.
Softdel’s Solution
- Softdel initiated the engagement with comprehensive customer site visits to gain a deep understanding of the existing testing environment and workflows. Leveraging these insights, we established a dedicated interoperability test lab at our offshore facility—designed specifically to support robust legacy system testing.
- The test setup mirrored the customer's ecosystem, connecting devices over IP and MSTP networks, and supporting both BACnet and LoN protocols. Forward and backward compatibility checks were rigorously performed within the Niagara framework to align with evolving integration and performance needs.
- We executed extensive manual testing on legacy devices, including both in-house and remote validation. Testing covered multiple layers—from protocol drivers to system integration—ensuring functional integrity across the board.
- For the customer’s new product line—a web-based graphical design and visualization tool for building control systems—Softdel delivered comprehensive end-to-end testing. This encompassed system-level, functional, and UI testing across five newly developed software solutions, all validated under real-world conditions to ensure maximum performance and reliability.
- To streamline the process, Softdel implemented automation across key test workflows. This included defining the testing scope, planning coverage, developing and executing test scripts, and generating detailed test artifacts. As a result, 45+ repetitive test cases were automated, significantly enhancing testing consistency and reducing time-to-market.
- As new features were introduced, we supported the customer with BACnet/SC integration to enhance the overall security of their product line.
- Softdel also provided ongoing BACnet certification support and testing assistance to maintain compliance and quality standards.
Standards and Technology
Communication Protocols: BACnet, LON
Platform: AZURE DevOps
Simulating Tool: BOSS (Softdel’s BACnet Simulator)
Programming Language: Python
Automation Framework: Selenium
Benefits
- Faster time-to-market: Achieved a 75% reduction in testing time through automation, accelerating release cycles and ensuring quicker delivery of high-quality products.
- Legacy system integration: Rigorous driver- and integration-level testing ensured seamless compatibility with existing BACnet/IP, MSTP, and LoN-based systems.
- Strengthening market readiness: The lab setup enabled end-to-end testing across systems, UI, and functionality, empowering the customer to drive innovation, reduce release cycles, and expand confidently into new markets.
