Cross-Platform Remote Access Tool For Testers

Well this tool is actually available for anyone. It's called CrossLoop and it allows you to securely share your desktop remotely on another computer. The product is advertised as a great solution for people that need remote tech support. In fact, their website is primarily a marketplace for CrossLoop "Helpers" who advertise their expertise and rates on the CrossLoop website. But as the good folks at Lifehacker.com point out, this free software, which is now supported on the Mac OS platform, can be used for any sort of remote desktop sharing activity, including a software testing environment.

I can envision at least three uses for CrossLoop in a testing environment: 1) as an inexpensive KVM-replacement for controlling several systems under test; 2) for remotely accessing servers in a client-server testing environment; and, 3) for remotely sharing the steps needed to reproduce a defect. We often test enterprise educational systems that involve at least one server, and our tests always involve changing the settings and databases on the servers. CrossLoop could come in handy for this, particularly in a cross-platform testing environment. It solves the problem of needing a version for each platform OS and it seems more secure in that the it uses a different access code each time you setup your connections. Here's what the company says about access codes:

The access code is a 12 digit number randomly generated by the CrossLoop application and it is used to encrypt the data before it is sent over the internet.

The drawbacks to using this tool might be the limited platform support (e.g. only Intel Macs) and the need to generate an access code each time you want to connect. VNC is supported on many more platforms and allows you to set up a password rather than generate an access code each time you access a remote system. However, it may be better, security-wise, to use one-time access codes when dealing with remote access.

In case you're still wondering how CrossLoop works, and don't mind a cartoonish video, then take a look at this YouTube video: