System and method for in situ, real-time, supply chain, interoperability verification

• US 20040024868A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Drummond Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Drummond Group
• Inventors: Drummond, Richard VaNeile II
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and method for performing interoperability testing. The method comprises sending a command from a server module to a client module, receiving the command at an application under test module via a shared directory module between the client module and the application under test module, executing a test at the application under test module based on the received command, and sending results of the test from the application under test module to the server module via the shared directory module and the client module, wherein the test is executed, and the results of the interoperability of the application between the client module and server module are sent, in a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain setting.

Claims

1. A method for performing interoperability testing, the method comprising:

sending a command from a server module to a client module;

receiving the command at an application under test module via a shared directory module between the client module and the application under test module;

executing a test at the application under test module based on the received command; and

sending results of the test from the application under test module to the server module via the shared directory module and the client module;

wherein the test is executed, and the results of the interoperability of the application between the client module and server module are sent, in a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain setting.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically updating the client module.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising replacing the client module with a new client module.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising executing a test for standards conformance at the application under test module based on a received XML command related to the standards test.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending results of the standards test from the application under test module to the server module via the shared directory module and the client module.

6. The method of claim 5 further, wherein the test is executed, and the results of the interoperability of the application between the client module and server module are sent, in a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain setting.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the test to be executed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjusting is performed in order to test at least one of a following item from a group consisting of:

a semantic model; and

a syntax model.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the semantic model and the syntax model are tested for at least one of a following item from a group consisting of:

headers;

individual test description documents;

automatic test generators; and

permutational analysis engines.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the permutational analysis engines are tested over time.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing conformance testing of the application between the client module and server module.

12. The method of claim 4 further comprising performing conformance testing of the standards between the client module and server module.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the interoperability testing is performed In Situ.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the interoperability testing is performed on at least one of a following layer from a group consisting of:

an International Standard Organization (ISO) Open System Interconnect (OSI) layer;

an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) layer;

an Electronic Business using eXtensible Markup Language (ebXML) layer;

a Collaborative, Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR) layer;

an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) over the Internet Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP);

an EDI over the Internet HTTP; and

an Open Buying over the Internet (OBI) layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ISO OSI layer is preferably a session layer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the ISO OSI layer is preferably a presentation layer.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the ISO OSI layer is preferably an application layer.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the IETF layer is preferably an application layer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the interoperability testing permits at least one of a following test from a group consisting of:

testing and verification of a set of pre-product release software as interoperable in an automated manner;

testing and verification of a set of post-product release products and versions in an automated manner; and

testing and verification of products which are in production.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the products which are in production are further tested and verified while actively communicating in an electronic commerce relationship.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the products which are in production are further tested and verified in a secure manner.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the products which are in production are further tested and verified in a non-secure manner.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the products which are in production are further tested and verified while the products are exchanging data with other products.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the products and the other products are preferably like products.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the test is defined by at least one of a following element from a group consisting of:

objects;

documents;

text; and

transport parameters.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the document is preferably an XML document.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising interpreting, by individual products, the at least one element to produce a test between one or more products.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing the interoperability testing with a plurality of vendors.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is preferably an XML command.

30. A method for performing interoperability testing, the method comprising:

generating a test expectation message by a server;

sending the test expectation message to a first client;

sending the test expectation message to a second client;

wherein the test expectation message indicates at least one test case to be executed by one of the first client or the second client;

receiving a ready to receive message by the server from one of the first client or the second client;

wherein the ready to receive message indicates to the server which one of a first server, operably coupled to the first client, or a second server, operably coupled to the second client, is ready to receive a message from the other one of the first server or second server; and

executing the at least one test case by the one of the first client or the second client;

wherein the at least one test case is a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain interoperability test.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the ready to receive message indicates to the server which one of the first client or the second client is ready to receive a message from the other one of the first client or the second client

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising monitoring the execution of the at least one test case by the one of the first client or the second client.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising sending the test expectation message to a plurality of clients.

34. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

generating a message by a first module;

sending the message to a second module;

sending the message to a third module;

wherein the message indicates at least one test case to be executed by one of the second module or the third module; and

executing the at least one test case by the one of the second module or the third module with the other one of the second module or the third module;

wherein the at least one test case is a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain interoperability test.

35. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

sending a command from a first module to a second module;

receiving the command at a third module via a fourth module between the second module and the third module;

executing a test at the third module based on the received command; and

sending results of the test from the third module to the first module;

wherein the test is executed and the results of the interoperability of the application between the second module and first module are sent during a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain interoperability test.

36. A system for performing interoperability testing, the system comprising:

a test server adapted to generate a message;

a first client adapted to receive the message; and

a second client adapted to receive the message;

wherein the test server, the first client, and the second client are operably coupled to each other;

wherein the message indicates at least one test case to be executed by one of the first client or the second client; and

the one of the first client or the second client adapted to execute the at least one test case with the other one of the first client or the second client;

wherein the at least one test case is a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain interoperability test.

37. A system for performing interoperability testing, the system comprising:

a test server adapted to generate a message; and

a plurality of clients adapted to receive the message;

wherein the test server and the plurality of clients are operably coupled to each other;

wherein the message indicates at least one test case to be executed by one of the first client or the second client; and

wherein the at least one test case is a real-time, low-intrusive, supply chain interoperability test.

38. An In Situ system, comprising:

a test creator module adapted to;

read standards specifications;

analyze the standards specifications for at least one of a following element from a list consisting of;

test items;

test services;

optional items;

optional services;

required items; and

required services; and

generate tests based on the analyzed standards specifications;

an administrator module adapted to;

send the generated tests;

coordinate test results; and

record the test results; and

an embedded module, which is imbedded in each software product used for messaging in a supply chain, is adapted to execute the generated tests and send the test results to the administrator module.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the embedded module is an application programming interface.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the test documents are XML test documents.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the embedded module comprises a plurality of modules.

42. An interoperability system, comprising:

a first module adapted to perform at least one of a following action from a group consisting of;

permutation analysis;

test suit generation; and

data generation;

a second module adapted to;

receive results of the at least one of the actions from the first module; and

indicate which tests to perform based on the received results; and

a third module adapted to;

receive tests from the second module;

execute the tests; and

report results of the test to the second module.

43. The interoperability system of claim 42 further comprising a plurality of third modules adapted to:

receive tests from the second module;

execute the tests; and

report results of the test to the second module.

44. The interoperability system of claim 43 further comprising testing at least one protocol between the plurality of third modules.

45. The interoperability system of claim 42, wherein the second module is a real-time, supply chain, In Situ, interoperability validation system.

46. The interoperability system of claim 42, wherein the third module is an application programming interface.

47. The interoperability system of claim 42, wherein the third module is a vendor specific product.

48. The interoperability system of claim 42, wherein the third module is a vendor neutral product.