Methods and systems for validating a system environment

• US 20060026463A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Paliwal, Bharat, Saha, Debashis
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2247 Verification or detection of system hardware configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums are disclosed for validating a system environment for a software application. In one embodiment, an input file having a plurality of validation tests identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application is read. At least a portion of the validation tests are executed. The results of the validation tests are outputted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

executing at least a portion of the validation tests; and

outputting the results of the validation tests.

2. The method of claim 7, wherein executing the validation tests comprises for at least a portion of the plurality of validation tests, obtaining a mapping between the validation test identifier and a program code identifier identifying program code for executing the validation test.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the mapping comprises reading a rule mapping file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein reading a rule mapping input file comprises reading an XML file mapping validation test identifiers to program code identifiers.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein executing the validation tests comprises executing the program code associated with each of the validation tests.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

reading the input file on a second machine;

obtaining a second mapping between the validation test identifier and a second program code identifier identifying second program code for executing the validation test.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an input file comprises receiving an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file having a plurality of validation test identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading a second input file having a plurality of second validation test identifiers identifying second validation tests to validate the system environment for a second application;

executing at least a portion of the second validation tests; and

outputting the results of the second validation tests.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the validation tests comprises obtaining a knowledge source having information used by at least one of the validation tests.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge source comprises system platform requirements for the application to execute on a system platform.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the system platform requirements comprises one or more of operating system packages, operating system patches, and memory requirements for the system platform.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining the knowledge source comprises obtaining information on a host system for the application.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information includes one or more of available memory on the system, Central Processing Unit (CPU) speed, operating system installed on the system, packages installed on the system, operating system patches installed on the system, and one or more applications installed on the system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein obtaining the information on the system comprises reading a file.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein obtaining the information on the system comprises executing program code to obtain the system information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the system information in a file.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein obtaining the system information comprises obtaining one or more user inputs.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the knowledge source comprises a file.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the results of the validation tests comprises outputting the results to a second file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second file further includes failed validation test identifiers identifying validation tests that failed, and wherein the method further comprises:

upon receiving an indication, reading the second file; and

executing at least a portion of the validation tests associated with the failed validation test identifiers.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the results comprises outputting the results to one of a console and a graphical user interface (GUI).

22. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the results comprises outputting a severity for at least a portion of the validation tests that failed.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the results comprises outputting a recommended course of action for at least a portion of the validation tests that failed.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the results comprises outputting at least one validation test to be performed manually by a user.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising outputting instructions to execute the manual validation test.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving an indication from the user that the manual validation test passed.

27. A method comprising:

reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

for at least a portion of the validation test identifiers;

obtaining a mapping between the validation test identifier and a program code identifier identifying program code for executing the validation test;

retrieving the program code;

obtaining a knowledge source used in the validation test;

executing the program code using the knowledge source;

determining a result of the validation test;

outputting the result of the validation test to a file.

28. A system comprising:

a manager component configured to read an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

a rules engine component, communicatively coupled to the manager, the rules engine configured to receive one of the validation test identifiers from the manager component, to read a second file having a mapping between the validation test identifier and a program code identifier identifying program code to execute the validation test, to retrieve the program code, to execute the program code, and to determine a result of the validation test.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the rules engine is further configured to report the result of the validation test to the manager.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising a knowledge source, communicatively coupled to the rules engine, the knowledge source having information used by at least one of the validation tests.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the knowledge source comprises a file.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising the second file.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising an installation component to install one of the application and a component of the application upon successful completion of the validation tests.

34. At least one machine readable medium, having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the actions of:

reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

executing at least a portion of the validation tests;

outputting the results of the validation tests.

35. At least one machine-readable medium, having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the actions of:

reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

for at least a portion of the validation test identifiers;

obtaining a mapping between the validation test identifier and a program code identifier identifying program code for executing the validation test;

retrieving the program code;

obtaining a knowledge source used in the validation test;

executing the program code using the knowledge source;

determining a result of the validation test;

outputting the result of the validation test to a file.

36. A system comprising:

means for reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

means for executing at least a portion of the validation tests; and

means for outputting the results of the validation tests.