Automated multi-platform build and test environment for software application development

• US 20060080638A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fiore, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,091,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A system, method and program product for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application. A system is provided that comprises: a control process loadable on a host platform, wherein the control process causes the software application to be built and run on both the host platform and a set of remote platforms; and a results manager that captures build and run results from the host platform and the set of remote platforms, and stores the build and run results in a centralized database.

Claims

1. A system for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application, comprising:

a control process loadable on a host platform, wherein the control process causes the software application to be built and run on both the host platform and a set of remote platforms; and

a results manager that captures build and run results from the host platform and the set of remote platforms, and stores the build and run results in a centralized database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control process comprises a script that directs the host platform to load source code and perform a build and run operation, and transmits a set of remote commands to each of the remote platforms to load the source code and build the software application.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source code control system that manages source code and source code changes utilized to build the software application.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the control process reads in a configuration file that determines what software code version are to be including in a build process.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the results manager converts build and run results captured from the host platform and remote platforms into XML data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the results manager filters the build and run results captured from the host platform and remote platforms.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control process includes an update script that runs on each of the host platform and remote platforms to prepare each platform for building the software application.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein both the host and remote platforms include a test suite for testing the software application as it is run and generating results.

9. A program product stored on a recordable medium for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application, comprising:

control means for causing the software application to be built and run on both a host platform and a set of remote platforms; and

means for capturing build and run results from the host platform and the set of remote platforms, and for storing the build and run results in a centralized database.

10. The program product of claim 9, wherein the control means comprises a script that directs the host platform to load source code and perform a build and run operation, and transmits a set of remote commands to each of the remote platforms to load the source code and build the software application.

11. The program product of claim 9, further comprising a source code control system that manages source code and source code changes utilized to build the software application.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein the control means reads in a configuration file that determines what software code versions are to be including in a build process.

13. The program product of claim 9, wherein the means for capturing converts build and run results from the host platform and remote platforms into XML data.

14. The program product of claim 9, wherein the means for capturing filters the build and run results captured from the host platform and remote platforms.

15. The program product of claim 9, wherein the control means includes an update script that that causes each of the host platform and remote platforms to prepare the platform for building the software application.

16. A method for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application, comprising:

providing a host platform and a set of remote platforms;

running an update script on the host and remote platforms;

running a build and execute script on the host platform, wherein the build and execute script initiates a build process that generates the software application on both the host platform and set of remote platforms;

generating and capturing build results to a centralized database;

executing the software application on the host platform and set of remote platforms; and

generating and capturing execution results to the centralized database.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising the further steps of:

providing a source code control system; and

reading in a configuration file that identifies source code changes that are to be included by the build process on both the host platform and set of remote platforms.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the update script prepares each of the platforms for the build process.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the build and execute results are converted into XML data.

20. A system for deploying an application for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application, comprising:

a computer infrastructure being operable to;

cause the software application to be built and run on a set of remote platforms;

capture build and run results from the set of remote platforms; and

store the build and run results in a centralized database.

21. Computer software embodied in a propagated signal for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application, the computer software comprising instructions to cause a computer to perform the following functions:

run a build and execute script on the host platform, wherein the build and execute script initiates a build process that generates the software application on both a host platform and a set of remote platforms;

generate and capture build results to a centralized database;

execute the software application on the host platform and the set of remote platforms; and

generate and capture execution results to the centralized database.