Using software for testing

Some companies, when buying network devices, buy additional devices to be used for testing purposes. These extra devices are normally installed in a separate environment to replicate part of the production network for testing. Before one test is performed, the devices are connected and configured to replicate a particular part of the network. Once the tests are finished, the setup is then removed and another configuration with different connections may take place to perform tests for another part of the network. There are several reasons why these tests are necessary, such as testing new software, validating a new configuration, verifying an update, checking performance, qualifying a new network design, and testing new functionality, among others.

But the main problem is that the testing environment is costly, slow to set up, and cannot be used by multiple test engineers in parallel. It also demands the physical presence of a specialized technician who...