Although the Endpoint Management Tools service encourages adoption of standards and provides a relatively predictable environment, by necessity configurations and applications may vary from area to area or even within an area, as end-users require various tools to get their jobs done. The Endpoint Infrastructure and Engineering team tests application configuration changes and software deployment on a range of supported endpoints prior to making them available to customers. Testing includes installation and basic functionaltiy testing, however, it is not feasible to test every situation, or even a reasonable sampling of situations without involving a wider population.

With this in mind, customers of the Endpoint Management Tools service can leverage test groups. This group will include actual users who receive patches, deployments, and configuration changes prior to the rest of the population. Any unanticipated results experienced by the Live Testers group are reported to the Endpoint Infrastructure and Engineering team by a set deadline. This provides a checkpoint that allows larger-scale managed activities to be delayed, if necessary, in order to avoid widespread disruption.

It is up to the local unit to determine who should be a Live Tester, and to determine how best to communicate with them. The most critical aspect of communication with Live Testers is that they understand that the patching period is shortened for them: 6-8 hours for them instead of four days for the general population. As with the main patching deployment, Live Tester computers will display messages alerting the user to new patches, allowing them to proactively install prior to the deadline, and then will reboot once the deadline is reached.

Live Testers may also be used for testing of configuration changes, either locally or globally. Any testing involving Live Testers outside of the monthly patching cycle will be clearly communicated. Local units always have the option to add or remove any particular Live Tester at any time.