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Application compatibility testing using Upgrade Assistant is simple provided you prepare your test environment correctly in advance. The following summarizes the key steps involved:

1. Prepare test environment – set up test computers with necessary software and appropriate configuration.  You should never conduct application compatibility testing using a production environment.
2. Capture test workload – backup relevant databases and capture a representative trace of your application’s workload that will be used in testing. 
3. Set up baseline environment – transfer the relevant files and databases to your baseline test environment –  run Upgrade Advisor – review Upgrade Advisor results (analyze database schema, trace files and script files for potential compatibility issues)
4. Replay test workload to establish baseline results – replay the captured trace workload on your test computers and capture relevant execution data and trace files
5. Upgrade baseline environment – upgrade the baseline SQL Server instance to SQL Server Code Name “Denali”
6. Replay test workload to establish upgrade results – replay the captured trace workload on your upgrade environment and capture relevant execution data and trace files
7. Compare results – compare and review data from the baseline and upgrade test workload replays to identify potential compatibility issues.  The differences are presented to you in a grid that allows you to navigate through the differences detected, filter out irrelevant differences, and analyze differences to determine if they will require changes to your applications to compensate.

Upgrade Assistant automates most of the tasks in each step of your testing. If you follow the instructions provided, your testing should be smooth and productive.