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Anope.org => General Chat => Topic started by: katsklaw on September 20, 2008, 03:15:22 PM

Title: What is a TestNet?
Post by: katsklaw on September 20, 2008, 03:15:22 PM
One thing I'm noticing a lot of is networks that don't have a TestNet. This is rather dangerous, this means that you blindly install or upgrade new software without testing it first. While this is ok for network BEFORE they open since there are no users on it to start with. But you should set-up a TestNet after you open.

Why a TestNet is important:

1> Test new releases of software that you either wrote or someone else wrote.
2> Test bug fixes to existing software to insure it works prior to releasing it to your production network
3> Test to insure the software does what you want/need/desire .. etc.

TestNet's are VERY important and should not be overlooked by any network regardless of size, unless you just simply don't care how buggy your production network or could careless about quality .. then you likely don't need a TestNet and you'll lose your users.

Not everyone can afford another shell?!? That's cool a TestNet can be done for free!

If you don't have a shell you can spare for your TestNet, that's fine VMWare Server (http://www.vmware.com/products/server/) is free software and is available for both Windows and Linux. you then either install your OS of choice in a VM or if you don't know how to install Windows or Linux, download a VM Appliance (http://www.vmware.com/appliances/). VM's are awsome for testing. The Anope team uses it when tracking bugs from OS's and version other than what we use personally.

If you have any questions that the supplied documentation for VMware Server doesn't cover, ask here and I'll try to answer them.