IBM RTVS(Rational Test Virtualization Server)

1. Service Virtualization: It allows users to create virtualized representations of services, databases, and other components, enabling testing to proceed even when the actual services are unavailable.

2. Test Environment Management: RTVS helps manage and provision test environments, including setting up and configuring the necessary infrastructure for testing.

3. Test Data Management: It provides capabilities for managing test data, including generation, masking, and provisioning of realistic test data sets.

4. Integration with Other Testing Tools: RTVS integrates with other tools in the Rational Test Workbench suite, such as Rational Functional Tester and Rational Performance Tester, to support end-to-end testing processes.

Before learning IBM Rational Test Virtualization Server (RTVS), it's beneficial to have a solid foundation in software testing concepts and practices. Here are some skills that would be helpful:

1. Software Testing Fundamentals: Understand the basic principles of software testing, including different types of testing (functional, non-functional, regression, etc.), testing techniques, and best practices.

2. Test Automation: Familiarity with test automation concepts and tools is essential, as RTVS often integrates with other test automation tools. Knowledge of scripting languages like JavaScript, Groovy, or Python can also be beneficial.

3. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA): RTVS is often used for service virtualization, so having a good understanding of SOA principles, web services, APIs, and related technologies would be advantageous.

4. Basic Programming Skills: While not always required, having some programming knowledge (e.g., Java, C#, or scripting languages) can be useful for creating custom virtual assets and extensions in RTVS.

5. Familiarity with IBM Rational Test Workbench Suite: RTVS is part of the IBM Rational Test Workbench suite, so familiarity with other tools in the suite, such as Rational Functional Tester (RFT) and Rational Performance Tester (RPT), can be helpful.

6. Understanding of Test Environments: Knowledge of test environments, including infrastructure components, network configurations, and deployment processes, can aid in setting up and configuring RTVS for testing.

7. Communication Skills: As RTVS is often used in collaborative testing environments, good communication skills are essential for working effectively with other team members, stakeholders, and customers.

8. Problem-Solving Skills: Being able to troubleshoot issues, analyze requirements, and find creative solutions to testing challenges is valuable when working with RTVS.

Learning IBM Rational Test Virtualization Server (RTVS) can provide you with several valuable skills related to software testing, test automation, and service virtualization. Here are some skills you can gain:

1. Service Virtualization: You will learn how to create virtualized test assets (such as virtual services, stubs, and mocks) to simulate the behavior of dependent systems and services that are not yet available or ready for testing.

2. Test Environment Management: Understanding how to configure and manage test environments effectively, including setting up and maintaining virtualized components and dependencies.

3. Test Data Management: Learning techniques for managing test data and generating realistic test datasets to support your testing efforts.

4. Test Automation Integration: Integrating virtualized test assets into your automated testing processes and frameworks, enabling more comprehensive and realistic test coverage.

5. Testing in Isolation: Gaining the ability to test individual components or services in isolation, without the need for fully integrated environments, which can speed up testing cycles and reduce dependencies.

6. Continuous Testing: Incorporating service virtualization into continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) pipelines to enable faster and more reliable software delivery.

7. Collaboration and Communication: Working effectively with development teams, business stakeholders, and other testing teams to understand requirements, dependencies, and constraints.

8. Problem-Solving Skills: Developing the ability to troubleshoot and debug issues related to service virtualization, test environment setup, and test execution.

9. Quality Assurance Practices: Applying best practices in software testing, including test design, test planning, test execution, and defect management.

10. Tools Proficiency: Becoming proficient in using IBM RTVS and related tools in the IBM Rational Test Workbench suite, such as Rational Integration Tester (RIT) and Rational Performance Tester (RPT).