Communication protocol testing system

• US 20070025259A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barry Reinhold
• Original Assignee: Barry Reinhold
• Inventors: Reinhold, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method includes representing a communication endpoint as a protocol stack having a plurality of protocol software modules, each of the plurality of protocol software modules providing associated protocol services for a packet flowing through the protocol software module, and enabling a test application to access internal state information of the packet as the packet moves between the plurality of protocol software modules. A computer program product and system are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

representing a communication endpoint as a protocol stack having a plurality of protocol software modules, each of said plurality of protocol software modules providing associated protocol services for a packet flowing through said protocol software module; and

enabling a test application to access internal state information of said packet as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling said test application to control said internal state information as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of said plurality of protocol software modules comprises entry code, protocol code, and exit code, said entry code checking for test code from said test application, said protocol code providing said associated protocol services, and said exit code checking for test code from said test application after said protocol code provides said associated protocol services and if said test code applies to said at least one protocol software module, said exit code performing an operation specified by said test code.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling test code to be written and registered with one of said plurality of protocol software modules, said test code representative of an action to take in case of a condition, said one of said plurality of protocol software modules performing said action if said condition is present in said packet.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said condition comprises a condition of a field of said packet and said action is dropping said packet.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said internal state information comprises a counter field representative of a count value of a counter, and said control operation changes said counter field to represent a count value proximate a maximum count value of said counter to test a wrap condition of said counter when said count value reaches said maximum count value and resets to an initial count value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling operation comprises exporting at least one symbol from at least one of said plurality of protocol software modules to a table, said test application utilizing said at least one symbol to access said internal state information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said protocol stack comprises a receive stack, said receive stack comprises a third, second, and first protocol software module, and wherein said packet output of said third protocol module is input to said second protocol module, and wherein said packet output of said second protocol module is input to said first protocol module, wherein said third protocol software module comprise a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) module, said second protocol software module comprises an Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) module, and said first protocol software module comprises a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) module.

9. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

represent a communication endpoint as a protocol stack having a plurality of protocol software modules, each of said plurality of protocol software modules providing associated protocol services for a packet flowing through said protocol software module; and

enable a test application to access internal state information of said packet as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said instructions when executed by said processor further cause said processor to:

enable said test application to control said internal state information as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein at least one of said plurality of protocol software modules comprises entry code, protocol code, and exit code, said entry code checking for test code from said test application, said protocol code providing said associated protocol services, and said exit code checking for test code from said test application after said protocol code provides said associated protocol services and if said test code applies to said at least one protocol software module, said exit code performing an operation specified by said test code.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said instructions when executed by said processor further cause said processor to:

enable test code to be written and registered with one of said plurality of protocol software modules, said test code representative of an action to take in case of a condition, said one of said plurality of protocol software modules performing said action if said condition is present in said packet.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said condition comprises a condition of a field of said packet and said action is dropping said packet.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said internal state information comprises a counter field representative of a count value of a counter, and said control operation changes said counter field to represent a count value proximate a maximum count value of said counter to test a wrap condition of said counter when said count value reaches said maximum count value and resets to an initial count value.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said enabling operation comprises exporting at least one symbol from at least one of said plurality of protocol software modules to a table, said test application utilizing said at least one symbol to access said internal state information.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said plurality of protocol software modules comprises a third, second, and first protocol software module, and wherein said packet output of said third protocol module is input to said second protocol module, and wherein said packet output of said second protocol module is input to said first protocol module, wherein said third protocol software module comprise a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) module, said second protocol software module comprises an Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) module, and said first protocol software module comprises a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) module.

17. A system comprising:

a choreographer workstation configured to communicate with a device under test, said choreographer workstation comprising;

a machine readable medium;

a processor;

a computer program product residing on said computer readable medium having a plurality of instruction stored thereon, which, when executed by said processor cause said processor to;

represent said choreographer workstation as a transmit stack and a receive stack each having a plurality of protocol software modules;

represent said device under test as a transmit stack and a receive stack each having a plurality of protocol software modules, each of said plurality of protocol software modules of said transmit stack and said receive stack of said choreographer workstation and said transmit stack and said receive stack of said device under test providing associated protocol services for a packet flowing through said protocol software module; and

enable a test application to access internal state information of said packet as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules of said transmit stack and said receive stack of said choreographer workstation and said transmit stack and said receive stack of said device under test.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said instructions when executed by said processor further cause said processor to enable said test application to control said internal state information as said packet moves between said plurality of protocol software modules.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said instructions when executed by said processor further cause said processor to:

enable test code to be written and registered with one of said plurality of protocol software modules, said test code representative of an action to take in case of a condition, said one of said plurality of protocol software modules performing said action if said condition is present in said packet.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said internal state information comprises a counter field representative of a count value of a counter, and said control operation changes said counter field to represent a count value proximate a maximum count value of said counter to test a wrap condition of said counter when said count value reaches said maximum count value and resets to an initial count value.