Performing tests with ghost agents

• US 20050076192A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Hilf, Bill H., Jaiswal, Peeyush, Mirt, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A testing method can include the step of identifying a host within a grid environment, wherein the host is a software object. A ghost agent can be associated with the host. The actions of the host can be replicated within the ghost agent. At least one test routine can be loaded into the ghost agent. The test routine can be executed within the ghost agent. Moreover, the executing step can utilize data gathered from the replicated actions. Test output can be generated from the test routine.

Claims

1. A testing method comprising the steps of:

identifying a host within a grid environment, wherein said host is a software object;

associating a ghost agent with said host;

replicating actions of said host within said ghost agent;

executing at least one test routine within said ghost agent, wherein said executing step utilizes data gathered from said replicated actions; and

,

generating test output for said test routine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

moving said host within said grid environment; and

,

responsively moving said ghost agent in accordance with movement of said host.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

preventing said test routines from operationally executing in said grid environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a location for recording test output that is external to said ghost agent; and

,

conveying said test output to said identified location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a test command from a source external to said host and external to said ghost agent; and

,

performing at least one operation with said ghost agent responsive to said test command.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

comparing results from said replicated actions with results from said executing of said test routines.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

comparing operational metrics from said replicated actions with operational metrics from said executing of said test routines.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said test routine tests at least a portion of a specific application;

said method further comprising the step of;

testing said specific application using said ghost agent while simultaneously simulating load conditions resulting from at least one different application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of hosts; and

,

for each selected host, repeating said associating step, said replicating step, said executing step, and said generating step.

10. A testing method comprising the steps of:

identifying an application domain comprising hosts disposed within a plurality of locations within a grid environment, wherein each said host is a software object;

providing a plurality of test routines, wherein each test routine is written for a specific host;

inputting said test routines into a plurality of ghost agents;

associating each of said ghost agents with said host that corresponds to said inputted test routine; and

,

executing said test routines.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

generating test output based upon said executing step; and

,

conveying said test output to a centralized data store.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing a test interface for testing said application domain; and

,

triggering said executing step using said test interface.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

for each host, replicating actions of said host to be used by said associated ghost agent; and

,

comparing aspects of said executed test routines with aspects of said replicated actions.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining a sequence in which said test routines are to be executed; and

,

performing said executing step in accordance with said determined sequence.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

conveying at least one message between one of said ghost agents and another of said ghost agents.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said ghost agent sending said message generates said message by executing said inputted test routine.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said ghost agent receiving said message extracts data from said message, wherein said extracted data is used as input for said inputted test routine.

18. A ghost agent comprising:

an interface for associating said ghost agent with a host;

a test engine for executing test routines; and

,

a ghost controller for managing interactions between said ghost agent and a grid environment, wherein said ghost agent automatically moves within said grid environment to follow movements of said host.

19. The ghost agent of claim 18, further comprising:

a ghost identifier configured to identify said ghost agent to components within said grid environment.

20. The ghost agent of claim 18, further comprising:

a ghost log configured to record test output.

21. The ghost agent of claim 18, further comprising:

means for disassociating said ghost agent from said host; and

,

means for associating said ghost agent with a different host.

22. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying a host within a grid environment, wherein said host is a software object;

associating a ghost agent with said host;

replicating actions of said host within said ghost agent;

executing said test routine within said ghost agent, wherein said executing step utilizes data gathered from said replicated actions; and

,

generating test output for said test routine.

23. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

moving said host within said grid environment; and

,

responsively moving said ghost agent in accordance with movement of said host.

24. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

preventing said test routines from operationally executing in said grid environment.

25. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a location for recording test output that is external to said ghost agent; and

,

conveying said test output to said identified location.

26. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a test command from a source external to said host and external to said ghost agent; and

,

performing at least one operation with said ghost agent responsive to said test command.

27. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

comparing results from said replicated actions with results from said executing of said test routines.

28. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

comparing operational metrics from said replicated actions with operational metrics from said executing of said test routines.

29. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, wherein said test routine tests at least a portion of a specific application;

said machine-readable storage further comprising the step of;

testing said specific application using said ghost agent while simultaneously simulating load conditions resulting from at least one different application.

30. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of hosts; and

,

for each selected host, repeating said associating step, said replicating step, said executing step, and said generating step.

31. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying an application domain comprising hosts disposed within a plurality of locations within a grid environment, wherein each said host is a software object;

providing a plurality of test routines, wherein each test routine is written for a specific host;

inputting said test routines into a plurality of ghost agents;

associating each of said ghost agents with said host that corresponds to said inputted test routine; and

,

executing said test routines.

32. The machine-readable storage of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

generating test output based upon said executing step; and

,

conveying said test output to a centralized data store.

33. The machine-readable storage of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

providing a test interface for testing said application domain; and

,

triggering said executing step using said test interface.

34. The machine-readable storage of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

for each host, replicating actions of said host to be used by said associated ghost agent; and

,

comparing aspects of said executed test routines with aspects of said replicated actions.

35. The machine-readable storage of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

determining a sequence in which said test routines are to be executed; and

,

performing said executing step in accordance with said determined sequence.

36. The machine-readable storage of claim 31, further comprising the step of:

conveying at least one message between one of said ghost agents and another of said ghost agents.

37. The machine-readable storage of claim 36, wherein said ghost agent sending said message generates said message by executing said inputted test routine.

38. The machine-readable storage of claim 36, wherein said ghost agent receiving said message extracts data from said message, wherein said extracted data is used as input for said inputted test routine.

39. A system for testing within a grid environment comprising:

an application domain comprising hosts disposed within a plurality of locations within a grid environment, wherein each said host is a software object;

a plurality of test routines, wherein each test routine is written for a specific host;

means for associating each of said ghost agents with said host that corresponds to said inputted test routine; and

,

means for executing said test routines.

40. A system for testing within a grid environment comprising:

a host disposed within a grid environment, wherein said host is a software object;

a ghost agent associated with said host;

means for replicating actions of said host within said ghost agent;

means for executing said test routine within said ghost agent, wherein said executing step utilizes data gathered from said replicated actions; and

,

means for generating test output for said test routine.