Today, on April 23, 2012, one of the leading Latvian IT enterprises DPA Ltd. signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Latvia about establishment of a Software testing laboratory attracting funding of the ERDF in amount of LVL 2 millions.

The testing laboratory will be modern, powerful environment for testing IT infrastructure in which field experts will provide testing services in accordance to the latest industry standards, as well as examine, develop, and introduce new and innovative testing methods. Within the project, the DPA and the University of Latvia will make a system of software solutions testing laboratory structures of container-type and six workplaces for scientists equipped with necessary technical supply.

Testing is a very important stage in development of new and innovative IT solutions, but provision of it in sufficient quality is complicated due to resource intensity and high costs; besides technical supply is being used for a very short moment – in the testing stage. Therefore system customers often do not carry out full testing or perform it for inadequate costs.

 „Year by year the DPA investment in research and development increases, and establishment of the Testing laboratory is a natural continuation of our former activity. In cooperation with scientists of the University of Latvia we will manage to provide access of high-quality research services in software solutions’ testing segment and transfer of acquired knowledge to national economy,” explains Juris Vilders, manager of the DPA. „The Testing laboratory is an essential event for entire Latvian IT sector – it will serve as a basis for development of innovative, export capable IT solutions and products thus increasing competitiveness of Latvian ICT sector in general,” continues J. Vilders.

 „Testing of the big information systems by now has been problematic due to access to resources but it is impossible to be sure about performance and quality of a system without testing. The Testing laboratory will allow to carry out qualitative system testing before its putting into operation, among them being sure about system stability and functionality in situations of increased capacity that can not be performed in usual development environment but is mandatory necessity for provision of information system quality,” says Uģis Bisenieks, Director of Electronic Government Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

 „Along with development of technology environment (mobility, cloud computing a.o.), change of system architecture, there is necessity for new and new methods and approaches of ensuring system quality. The only way how to do it, is to attract academic knowledge. I am satisfied about partnership the DPA began with Latvian scientists by developing, trying, and introducing new testing methods. It is implementation in life of a good practice of innovations – synergy of science and entrepreneurship,” emphasizes Juris Borzovs, Dean of Faculty of Computing of the University of Latvia.

 Testing services will be available for both large and small enterprises. Valuable data protection, information confidentiality, and protection of intellectual property will be ensured at the testing process. Total costs of the Testing laboratory are estimated to be LVL 3.5 millions, term for establishment of the laboratory – 14 months. „Establishment of the Software testing laboratory will be one of the biggest investment projects of the nearest years in IT infrastructure in Kurzeme region,” specifies Chairman of the Board of the Ventspils High Technology Park (the VHTP) Ivars Eglājs.

The DPA is one of the biggest ICT enterprises in Latvia with increasing presence in foreign markets – in Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia. DPA services include IT infrastructure and security audits and solutions, development and testing of business application solutions, as well as services of licensing and software asset management. The DPA cooperates with the biggest world and Latvian technology enterprises including Microsoft, Oracle, vmware, McAfee, Safran/Morpho, SiteCore, and others. The DPA is the leading partner of Microsoft Corporation in Latvia.

Additional information:
Anda Jankoviča
DPA Marketing specialist
Tel.: +371 67509900, +371 26365005
E-mail: anda [dot] jankovica [at] dpa [dot] lv

Varis Broks
VHTP Manager of the Department of Services
Tel.: +371 63664934
Mobile phone: +371 29249302
E-mail: varis [dot] broks [at] vatp [dot] lv