Data image cache used in testing

• US 20040083208A1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kroening, James L., Mund, Keith, Johansen, Jonathan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method of testing using a data image cache. An image server is coupled to one or more test beds to perform testing and/or debug operations on one or more components. Each test bed has one or more test slots to receive the one or more components. The test bed is preferably a motherboard. The motherboard may be in normal operation or may be placed in sleep mode during testing or debugging.

Claims

1. A system suitable for transferring data images, comprising:

an image cache suitable for being accessed locally, the image cache suitable for storing at least one data image; and

an image storage connected to the image cache over a network, the image storage including a plurality of data images, wherein a query is received by the image cache for a data image not included in the image cache, a data image corresponding to the queried data image is transferred from the image storage to the image cache over the network,

wherein the at least one data image corresponds to a test program.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the transferred data image is stored on the image cache and at least one data image included on the image cache is deleted.

3. The system as described in claim 2, wherein at least two data images are included on the image cache, the data image to be deleted is selected based upon which data image has not been accessed for a longer period of time.

4. The system as described in claim 2, wherein the data image included on the image cache is deleted due to insufficient storage space for the transferred data image.

5. The system as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of data images transferred from the image server are utilized by the information handling system, a first data image is stored on the image cache which is utilized more recently by the information handling system than a second data image.

6. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the data image includes an identifier suitable for at least one of identifying the data image, indicating usage of the data image, indicating access of the data image, time stamping and indicating a function of the data image.

7. The system as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of data images is stored on partitions of a hard disk.

8. The system as described in claim 7, wherein a controlling partition is included with the plurality of data images to indicate a data image to be utilized.

9. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the image cache is located in a test bed.

10. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the image cache is on a motherboard.

33. The system as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of data images is a hibernation state file.

11. A method of storing data images, comprising:

receiving a request for a data image;

querying an image cache for the requested data image, wherein if the data image is not included in the image cache, querying an image storage for the requested data image, the image storage connected to the image cache over a network; and

transferring the requested data image to the image cache from the image storage,

wherein when there is insufficient storage space to store the requested data image on the image cache, a preexisting data image is deleted,

wherein the requested data image includes a test program.

12. The method as described in claim 11, wherein at least two data images are included on the image cache, the data image to be deleted is selected based upon which data image has not been accessed for a longer period of time.

13. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the data image included on the image cache is deleted due to insufficient storage space for the transferred data image.

14. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the data image includes an identifier suitable for at least one of identifying the data image, indicating usage of the data image, indicating access of the data image, time stamping and indicating a function of the data image.

15. The method as described in claim 11, wherein a controlling partition is included with a plurality of data images to indicate a data image to be utilized.

16. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the image cache resides on a motherboard.

35. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the data image is a hibernation state file.

17. A system suitable for transferring data images, comprising:

an information handling system including an image cache suitable for being accessed locally, the image cache suitable for storing at least one data image; and

an image server including image storage, the image server connected to the information handling system over a network, the image storage including a plurality of data images,

wherein a plurality of data images transferred from the image server are utilized by the information handling system, a first data image is stored on the image cache which is utilized more recently by the information handling system than a second data image,

wherein the at least one data image corresponds to a test program.

18. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the transferred image is stored on the image cache and at least one data image included on the image cache is deleted.

19. The system as described in claim 18, wherein at least two data images are included on the image cache, the data image to be deleted is selected based upon which data image has not been accessed for a longer period of time.

20. The system as described in claim 18, wherein the data image included on the image cache is deleted due to insufficient storage space for the transferred data image.

21. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the data image includes an identifier suitable for at least one of identifying the data image, indicating usage of the data image, indicating access of the data image, time stamping and indicating a function of the data image.

22. The system as described in claim 17, wherein a plurality of data images is stored on partitions of a hard disk.

23. The system as described in claim 22, wherein a controlling partition is included with the plurality of data images to indicate a data image to be utilized.

34. The system as described in claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of data images is a hibernation state file.

24. A system for transferring a data image, comprising:

a data image storage server configured to store data images including test instructions associated with a component;

a plurality of test bed computers, each of said plurality of test bed computers comprising a test slot disposed to receive the component for testing;

a plurality of data image caches configured to store the test instructions transferred from the data image storage server upon the component being connected to the test slot, each of the plurality of data image caches being configured as part of one of the plurality of test bed computers; and

a network that communicatively connects each of the plurality of computer test beds to the data image storage server for transferring the test instructions from the data image storage to one or more of the plurality of data image caches.

25. The system as described in claim 24, wherein one or more of the plurality of test bed computers are configured to have the test slot receive the component when the one or more of the plurality of test bed computers are powered off.

26. The system as described in claim 24, wherein one or more of the plurality of test bed computers are configured to have the test slot receive the component when the one or more of the plurality of test bed computers are powered on.

27. The system as described in claim 24, wherein the plurality of test bed computers are configured to sense the component received in the test slot and identify the test instructions associated with the component.

28. The system as described in claim 24, wherein the component is a CD ROM.

29. The system as described in claim 24, wherein the component is a video card.

30. The system as described in claim 24, wherein two of the test bed computers test different components.

31. The system as described in claim 24, wherein at least one of the test bed computers tests two or more different components.

32. The system as described in claim 24, wherein at least one of the data image caches contains a data image that is in the form of a hibernation state file.