Integration testing focuses on combining units or components of a software and testing them as a group. It's about validating the interactions between different modules or services in a specified flow to ensure they work together as intended in the system's broader environment. Unit testing, on the other hand, checks individual components, while system testing validates the entire application.

The primary goal of test planning in the software testing lifecycle is to set the direction and scope for the testing activities. It helps in defining objectives, strategies, and the effort required to validate that the software meets its requirements and is free from critical issues.

Tool Assessment is the process wherein different test automation tools are critically evaluated and compared based on criteria like functionality, ease of use, and cost, among others. The aim is to choose the tool that aligns best with the project requirements, ensuring efficient and effective automation.

Passive Testing is a form of security testing where the tester observes the system but does not interact directly with it. Unlike penetration testing, which involves exploiting vulnerabilities, passive testing focuses on identifying potential vulnerabilities without attempting to exploit them.

Beta testing involves releasing the software product to a limited number of end-users for evaluation. This allows the development team to get real-world feedback from users and identify potential defects or areas of improvement before a public release.

Baseline Identification involves tagging or marking specific points in a development timeline. By identifying baselines, one can retrieve a specific version of software that was marked as significant, such as a release. In this case, the software version released six months ago would have been a baseline, allowing it to be easily retrieved for review.

Keyword-driven testing involves the use of predefined keywords associated with the actions to be performed, making the test scripts more readable and easier to maintain. On the other hand, data-driven testing primarily revolves around executing the same test script with multiple sets of input data, typically sourced from external files or databases.

"Contextual Testing" is a method where the design or product is tested within the actual environment and context in which it will be used. Unlike lab testing, it ensures the product works in real-world scenarios, capturing the nuances and variables of the actual usage environment.

In the CI/CD ecosystem, an Integration server plays a pivotal role. It automates various phases such as code compilation, testing, and sometimes deployment. This ensures that code changes integrate smoothly with the existing codebase and can be deployed seamlessly.

In incremental integration testing, "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches signify the sequence and direction of integration. "Top-down" begins with the main function and progressively integrates modules, whereas "bottom-up" starts with modules, integrating them into the main function.