Mirroring Server Environments for POC Success | Generated by AI
Question: Due to restrictions in banking environments, many software libraries cannot be installed on private or cloud servers. For technical points, is it better to perform tech POCs in the server environment as well, beyond just local testing? For example, Python/Java API tests are easy because of their libraries, while Selenium needs specific drivers, etc. Is that correct?
Answer:
Yes, you are absolutely correct.
In highly regulated environments like banking, private servers or cloud instances (especially those handling sensitive data) often have strict restrictions:
- Limited or no internet access.
- Approval processes for installing new packages, tools, or binaries.
- Security policies that block certain executables, browsers, or drivers.
- Locked-down operating systems with minimal privileges.
This directly impacts Proof of Concept (POC) work:
Why local testing is not sufficient
- A POC that works perfectly on your local machine (where you can freely install anything) may completely fail in the target production-like environment.
- Dependencies that are trivial locally (e.g., pip install, apt-get, downloading browser drivers) become major blockers on restricted servers.
- Environment differences (OS version, missing system libraries, proxy settings, firewall rules) can cause unexpected failures.
Examples you mentioned
- Python/Java API tests: Usually lightweight. They depend only on language-standard libraries or pure-code packages (requests, httpclient, etc.). These are easy to include via internal artifact repositories or vendoring, so they often work with minimal hassle.
- Selenium/Web UI automation: Much more problematic because it typically requires:
- Installing a real browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.).
- Downloading and managing browser-specific drivers (chromedriver, geckodriver).
- Sometimes headless display dependencies (xvfb on Linux).
- Permissions to execute binaries. These steps are frequently blocked or require multiple approvals in banking environments.
Best practice for tech POCs in such environments
- Perform early validation in an environment that mirrors production as closely as possible (staging/private cloud server with same restrictions).
- Test installation and execution steps end-to-end in the restricted environment, not just the core logic.
- Consider alternatives that reduce dependencies:
- Use containerization (Docker/Podman) if allowed — it can bundle everything.
- Switch to headless/lightweight tools (Playwright often handles driver management automatically and has better binary bundling).
- API-based testing over UI testing when feasible.
- Vendored or self-contained packages.
- Engage infrastructure/security teams early to understand allowable tools and processes.
In summary, relying only on local development for POCs in restricted environments carries high risk of “it works on my machine” failures. Validating in the target-like server environment early is essential for realistic technical assessment.