Glossary · System coordination, integration and orchestration
System integration test
Also known as: SIT, Integration test
German: Systemintegrationstest
In systems and software engineering, a system integration test is a test that verifies the interfaces and interactions between integrated system elements, and between the system and connected external systems, after they have been combined.
- System integration
In one sentence
A system integration test verifies the interfaces and interactions between integrated system elements and connected external systems.
Example
In the system integration test, the team checks that production orders sent from the MES arrive at the line controller, run correctly and are confirmed back with the right quantities.
How it applies
- Engineering: Derive test cases from interface specifications and system requirements. Cover normal flows, error flows, timing, communication loss and restarts.
- Test environment: Use simulators, emulated machines or a virtual commissioning environment when real equipment is not yet available; record which parts were real and which simulated.
- Traceability: Link test cases to requirements and interfaces so coverage is visible, see Test coverage and Traceability matrix.
- Documentation: Test reports are evidence for acceptance and, where relevant, for the technical file. Documentation teams can use integration tests to verify that procedures in the manuals, such as restart or order handling, match the real behavior.
System integration test vs. factory and site acceptance tests
A system integration test is a verification step during development. A factory acceptance test (FAT) and a site acceptance test (SAT) are contractual tests with the customer, at the supplier's factory or at the site. Integration tests usually precede and prepare them.