Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Yes it does! QuerySurge AI is a generative Artificial Intelligence solution that simplifies and speeds up ETL testing. It creates data validation tests, including transformational tests, based on data mappings.

The average data warehouse project has between 250 to 1,500 data mappings and test creation for each mapping requires approximately 1 hour per test. With QuerySurge AI, test creation happens quickly, converting data mappings into tests written in the data store’s native SQL with little to no human intervention, reducing the need for people skilled in SQL, and providing a huge return-on-investment (ROI).

QuerySurge AI provides a flexible implementation with 2 models – Cloud and Core. Whether you require rapid cloud deployment or an on-premises model for complete control, QuerySurge AI offers two powerful implementation options tailored to your specific needs.

• QuerySurge AI Cloud is fully hosted in the cloud, requires no hardware, provides rapid deployment with minimal setup, and is ideal for teams seeking fast results with minimal IT overhead.
• QuerySurge AI Core is installed within your environment, provides full control over your data and configuration, requires server installation (it runs on GPUs or CPUs), and is designed for organizations with strict compliance or security policies.

QuerySurge consists of the following components:

1. The QuerySurge Application Server (Tomcat)
2. The QuerySurge Database (MySQL)
3. QuerySurge Agent(s) – a minimum of one must be deployed
4. QuerySurge Execution API (optional)
   

For more information and a detailed look at the QuerySurge product Architecture components, see this page: http://www.querysurge.com/product-tour/product-architecture

The QuerySurge Agent is the component of the architecture that actually executes queries against Source and Target data sources, returning the results to QuerySurge. Agents are deployed in a hub-and-spoke relationship to the QuerySurge application server, as you can see in the QuerySurge product architecture diagram.

For a QuerySurge Trial or a POC, one agent is normally sufficient.

For production deployment, the answer is dependent on multiple factors (your Source/Target data base/data source products, the hardware Source/Target are deployed on, your style of query-writing), and is best determined as you gain more experience with QuerySurge in your own environment.

Nope! QuerySurge comes with its own embedded database. We handle the database licensing, so deploying QuerySurge will not affect any licensing that your organization currently has.

For a QuerySurge trial, the specifications can be found here>>

Our recommended production deployment specifications can be found here>>

No – in fact, we do not recommend deploying Agents on your database servers.

Agents should be deployed in your environment in a hub-and-spoke relationship to the QuerySurge application server. Any boxes or VMs with sufficient resources (see questions above) to perform QuerySurge tasks can be used, including the Testers’ desktops.

Yes. If you deployed your Trial installation on the same hardware as you plan for your production QuerySurge installation, you’re all set – all we need to do is apply your new license to your existing QuerySurge instance. Everything else stays the same.
If you need to move your queries from your trial QuerySurge instance to your “permanent” QuerySurge installation, please contact us or get in touch with your account manager. We’ll be happy to help you!

QuerySurge is a pure Web 2.0 application with a database server behind an app server. Users can access the software through any supported browser (Chrome, FireFox, Edge, and Safari).

Most users will start by searching our Knowledge base, which is available on our web site at the top menu or through the Orange Help button at the bottom left of every page of our web site. From there you can either search for information or reach out to our support team directly. To view the Knowledge Base, click here>>

QuerySurge supports all Hadoop and NoSQL data stores, Data Warehouses, traditional databases, flat files, XML, Excel, mainframe, JSON and any other JDBC compliant data structure. For a full list of technologies supported, click here>>

All database connections can be configured using QuerySurge’s built-in Connection wizard. You will have the option to access this wizard when installing the application.

No. Once a Connection has been set up in the application, all authorized QuerySurge users can build queries using any connection.

QuerySurge ships with a flat file JDBC driver that makes your files “look” like database tables to QuerySurge. You can then query your files using a standard SQL dialect.

We have an XML file JDBC driver that makes your XMLs “look” like database tables to QuerySurge. You query your files using a standard SQL dialect. Contact us for information.

Yes, QuerySurge is built for this! You can query flat file vs. database, excel file vs. database, XML file vs. database, flat file vs. flat file, Hadoop/Hive vs. database, Hadoop/Hive vs. flat file, etc. in any combination.
If you have a specific data source combination to ask us about, don't hesitate to reach out to us!

QuerySurge has a Connection Wizard in the Administrative view to take you through the process of setting up connections to your Source and Target data sources.

The QuerySurge Agent is the component of the architecture that actually executes queries against Source and Target data sources, returning the results to QuerySurge. Agents are deployed in a hub-and-spoke relationship to the QuerySurge application server.

There are no syntax limitations. Any query syntax that you put in QuerySurge will be executed as-is. You may use all ANSI SQL syntax plus any custom syntax your database or data source supports.

Absolutely - most testing groups already have SQL for their current testing process. This SQL can be either be used directly in QuerySurge or tweaked for QuerySurge to give you a jump-start in implementing your automated data testing effort.

You can schedule runs in QuerySurge either by creating a QuerySurge Scenario, which lets you schedule based on time, or you may use the QuerySurge execution API, which lets you schedule based on events external to QuerySurge.

The QuerySurge execution API lets you schedule based on events external to QuerySurge. The API is provided both as a RESTful and command-line API that you can deploy in your environment and call into QuerySurge’s execution engine from external processes. It also has 60+ other calls that allow you to do everything the QuerySurge interface allows you to do.

QuerySurge provides a clean, intuitive workflow for all the major tasks, and our users find it easy to move their work into QuerySurge quickly.

QuerySurge also provides a Knowledge Base of articles, self-paced training, free certification exams, and a built-in tutorial.

It does help, but QuerySurge offers lots of ways to generate tests without knowing SQL. QuerySurge AI, our generative artificial intelligence module, automatically creates data validation tests, including transformational tests, based on data mappings. Test creation happens in minutes, converting data mappings into tests written in the data store’s native SQL with little to no human intervention from this low-code or no-code solution.

QuerySurge’s Query Wizard generates simple SQL queries for your straightforward tests, performing table-to-table, column-to-column, and row count compares. SQL knowledge will help you craft queries for your more complex tests.

See our course offerings to jump-start your use of QuerySurge.

QuerySurge retains history for your QueryPairs and your Suites. You can see all revisions on each QueryPair, who made the revision, and when it was performed. You can also generate reports on QueryPair and Suite history for project audit or other management purposes.

Absolutely. QuerySurge reports can be exported either in pdf format or in Excel format for either sharing with co-workers of for documentation purposes.

QuerySurge has a Connection Wizard in the Administrative view to take you through the process of setting up connections to your Source and Target data sources.

QuerySurge’s DevOps for Data is our full API that brings DevOps automation to data testing . It enables faster, smarter validation at every stage of your pipeline with 100+ calls and live Swagger documentation.

QuerySurge imposes no data size limitations on queries. However, the hardware that you deploy QuerySurge on will impose its own limitations. More hardware resources will give you greater flexibility with QuerySurge.

QuerySurge supports all Hadoop and NoSQL data stores, Data Warehouses, traditional databases, flat files, XML, Excel, mainframe, JSON and any other JDBC compliant data structure. For a full list of technologies supported, click here>>

If your unstructured data is in a datastore that can accommodate JDBC connectivity, we should be able to handle it. Contact us if you would like to discuss specifics.

QuerySurge can test most of the standard data types that are common to current data stores and databases. This includes CLOB and BLOB data types.

QuerySurge connects to over 200 technologies via JDBC, enabling validation across various data sources. These include traditional databases, Hadoop and NoSQL stores, cloud platforms, flat files, JSON, and Excel, business intelligence tools, CRMs and ERPs, and anything else that stores data. See the full list here.

QuerySurge integrates seamlessly into DevOps pipelines and virtually all CI/CD tools.

QuerySurge supports Webhooks, providing real-time integrations with your DevOps, CI/CD, and alerting tools. Webhooks are like a digital messenger. When something happens in QuerySurge (like a test finishes), it sends a quick alert to another application, like Slack, Jira, Azure DevOps, or Jenkins, so you don’t have to check manually.

QuerySurge’s DevOps for Data has over 100+ API calls with hundreds of customizable parameters, that provide you with the ability to connect to any other APIs.

As mentioned above, QuerySurge provides RESTful API access. QuerySurge integrates with virtually all DevOps and DataOps solutions in the marketplace. Testers can dynamically generate, execute, and update tests and data stores utilizing 100+ API calls with almost 100 different properties. See our DevOps for Data offering.

QuerySurge currently integrates with Jira, Micro Focus ALM/Quality Center, Microsoft’s Azure DevOps, IBM’s Rational Quality Manager. Through the DevOps for Data API, QuerySurge can integrate with virtually any other software that also has an API. For more information on our Test Management connectors, please visit the connector page here>>

Through the API, QuerySurge can be automatically launched by any ETL tool, Scheduler or Automated Build software that has command line API access. For a list of software we integrate with, please visit our DevOps, CD/CI page here>>

QuerySurge provides Data Analytics Dashboard and Data Intelligence Reports that cover the lifecycle of your data testing.

• Monitor project status and performance trends with customizable dashboards and interactive widgets.
• Dive into specific data points for detailed insights.
• Leverage a variety of configurable Data Intelligence Reports, from summary views to in-depth audits, including root cause analysis at the column level.
• Tailor reports by date, asset type, or execution, and export them as Excel or PDF.
• Integrate with test management or CI/CD tools for streamlined reporting.

QuerySurge reporting is highly customizable with multiple filters on most reports.

Reports can generally be exported to a pdf or Excel format.

Absolutely. QuerySurge has an email notification feature that lets you set up custom email notifications to other QuerySurge users about executions, including execution outcomes and metrics, based on triggers of your own choosing.

Absolutely! QuerySurge’s Ready for Analytics helps you to seamlessly integrate your preferred Business Intelligence and Analytics tool with QuerySurge to gain deeper, real-time insights into your data validation and ETL testing workflows.​ Ready-for-Analytics provides your team with direct, secure access to the QuerySurge database, empowering QA Engineers, Data Analysts, and Business Users to analyze testing results using any industry-leading business intelligence (BI) platform.

QuerySurge offers flexible licensing to suit the diverse needs of our customers:

• Both subscription and perpetual licenses
• Both named users and floating users
• Both full users and participant users
• Both on-premises and in-the-cloud installation
• Pricing per user – both individual user and discounted package deals
• Excellent maintenance & support services
• Premium Services for any services not covered by traditional support

See our transparent Licensing & Pricing section for all the details.

Nope! We use standard drivers for all Source/Target technologies, and if we don’t ship with a driver you want, you can deploy it yourself. No additional licensing is required.

You can install QuerySurge on most desktops or even laptops. Resources (memory, disk space) are important for QuerySurge! The more you have, the more you can do during your trial.

The features that are disabled in a 15-day trial are BI Tester, DevOps for Data, Import/Export, Ready for Analytics, and QuerySync. If you would like to try these features, BI Tester and DevOps for Data have their own downloads and all are available in a Proof-of-Concept. See all variations of trials here>>

Nope! You can try QuerySurge in a Hosted Cloud Trial – our environment and our data, but you’ll be up and running with QuerySurge in minutes. See what else the Cloud trial has to offer and sign up.

Sign-up for a QuerySurge Proof-of-Concept. You can use QuerySurge for 45 days with weekly support sessions and regular communication from your dedicated account team. See more about what you'll get with a PoC and sign up.

Most users will start by searching our Knowledge base, which is available on our web site at the top menu or through the Orange Help button at the bottom left of every page of our web site. From there you can either search for information or reach out to our support team directly. To view the Knowledge Base, click here>>

Sure! We have a full range of self-paced and instructor-led (in the cloud) training. We offer self-paced training courses, along with certifications and digital badges. Courses include Certified ETL Tester, QuerySurge Certified Practitioner​, Certified BI Tester, QuerySurge Certified Administrator, Certified DevOps for Data Tester, and Certified DevOps for Data Practitioner.

We have 2 delivery options:

1. Free self-paced training
2. Live, instructor-led training in the Cloud (there is a cost for this item)

Class size requirements apply.

Yes we do! Our professional certifications, along with digital badges from Credly, provide secure, verifiable evidence of skills and expertise that can be easily shared with your professional network.

• Learn about data validation and ETL Testing with self-paced training and certification guides through the QuerySurge Content and Training Portal, built on Moodle, the most trusted eLearning solution that empowers educators.
• Earn your digital badge from Credly, the leading platform for managing digital credentials, trusted by top companies like IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, and more.
• Inform your social network by posting your digital badge to LinkedIn, X (Formerly Twitter), Facebook, or sharing via email, website, or email signature.

Self-paced training and certifications are free for customers and partners.

Either visit our Knowledge Base & Community Forums (https://querysurge.zendesk.com/hc/en-us) or click on the Orange Button on the bottom left of our website! These are the quickest ways to get information or log a ticket within our system.

While the QuerySurge team is located in the U.S., we support customers globally. We also have built an extensive partner ecosystem that is located in every locale in the world. For information on our partners, please visit our Partner page here>>

Customers, Alliance Partners, and prospective customers in Proofs-of-Concept (POC) often ask us for help with coding issues, short-term training, and other tasks not covered by our support services.

QuerySurge’s Premium Services fulfill these needs. Premium Services provides:

• Assistance with coding in SQL, HQL, API calls, and functions
• How To sessions for using various functions and features
• JumpStart or Training sessions
• Administration, including installation, creating/modifying/deleting users & connections, installing updates, setting up server backups and moves

And any other service not covered by traditional support.