Definitions[]
General[]
A testbed (also commonly spelled test bed) is
| “ | [a] system representation consisting of actual hardware and/or software and computer models or prototype hardware and/or software.[1] | ” |
Software[]
A testbed is a set of hardware and software which mirrors an operating environment as closely as possible.
The purpose of a "testbed" is to simulate a unique operating environment to test a software applications that are to be made compliant. The testing occurs outside of the real system, thus protecting the data and the business in the event the new application contains bugs.
Overview[]
Unlike theoretical models and simulations, testbeds are made up of the physical hardware and software components of a real-world operational environment.
In testbed environments, researchers can deploy experimental tools, generate execution scenarios involving multiple component interactions in real-time, and collect and analyze the results. Because they allow researchers to investigate what can “break” a system, testbeds provide a uniquely rigorous way to test scientific theories and new technologies.