Methods and systems for enhanced automated system testing

• US 20030236644A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Robin, Lara, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,745,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318314 Tools, e.g. program interfaces, test suite, test bench, simulation hardware, test compiler, test program languages simulation software G01R31/318357; emulators G06F11/261
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318357 Simulation computer simulation of digital circuits G06F30/3308

Abstract

Electrical components and associated processes for enhancing automated test of a system by permitting automated generation and application (injection) of real-world stimuli applied to the system under test without the need for manual intervention. Electrical components of the present invention intercede in the exchange of signals and power over various signaling paths within a system under test. Under programmable control by methods of the invention, the electrical components of the present invention may simulate any desired real-world stimulus on any signal path associated with the system under test. Automated test procedures associated with the electrical components may then automate all phases of a test procedure including setup of the test environment, application of real-world stimuli, verification of operation of the system under test and cleanup and recovery following performance of the automated test sequence.

Claims

1. Apparatus for enhanced automated testing of a system under test, said apparatus comprising:

an automated test system for applying stimuli to said system under test and for verifying proper operation of said system under test in response to said stimuli;

a switching device for controllably applying stimuli to said system under test; and

a communication medium coupling said automated test system to said switching device to enable control of said switching device by said automated test system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switching device comprises:

a logic level switching device to switch logic signals within said system under test as said stimuli thereto.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switching device comprises:

a power relay switching device to switch power signals within said system under test as said stimuli thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication medium is a serial interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communication medium is a network communication medium.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said system under test is a storage subsystem including a storage controller, a storage device and an interface bus and wherein said switching device comprises:

a logic level drive device coupled to said interface bus between said storage controller and said storage device to simulate signals exchanged there between via said interface bus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said logic level drive device further comprises:

a storage device present signal path to simulate removal and insertion of said storage unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said system under test is a storage subsystem including a storage controller, a power supply device and a power bus and wherein said switching device comprises:

a power relay drive device coupled to said interface bus between said storage controller and said storage device to simulate power signals exchanged there between via said power bus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said power relay drive device further comprises:

a power signal path to simulate removal and application of power signals from said power supply device to said storage controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said power supply device is a battery power supply device.

11. A method for testing a system under test comprising the steps of:

detecting a need for a real-world stimulus to be applied to said system under test; and

providing said real-world stimulus without manual intervention.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of detecting includes the step of:

interpreting a test command requesting generation and application of said real-world stimulus.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing includes the steps of:

generating said real-world stimulus without manual intervention; and

applying said real-world stimulus to said system under test without manual intervention.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing includes the step of:

controlling a driver element to controllably generate said real-world stimulus and to controllably apply the generated real-world stimulus to said system under test.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of controlling includes the steps of:

determining a signal type associated with said real-world stimulus wherein said driver element corresponds to said signal type.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said signal type is a logic signal and wherein said driver element is a logic level driver element.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said signal type is a power signal and wherein said driver element is a power relay driver element.

18. An apparatus for enabling automated testing of a system under test by a test system, said apparatus comprising:

a signal driver element including;

means for coupling said driver element to a signal path of said system under test;

communication means for communicating between said signal driver element and said test system; and

signal means for controllably intercepting and injecting signals on said signal path in response to requests received from said test system via said communication means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said signal path is a logic signal path and wherein said signal means controllably intercepts and injects logic signals on said signal path.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said signal path is a power signal path and wherein said signal means controllably intercepts and injects power signals on said signal path.