METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

• US 20080209409A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Crenshaw, Scott, Van Riel, Henri Han
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

Embodiments pertain generally to a method of providing a quality assurance subscription service for a customer. The method includes determining a new software configuration for the customer and instantiating a test virtual machine based on state information of the customer in a secure location. The method also includes executing the new software configuration on the test virtual machine to verify operational stability of the new software configuration.

Claims

1. A method of providing a quality assurance subscription service for a customer, the method comprising:

determining a new software configuration for the customer;

instantiating a test virtual machine based on state information of the customer in a secure location; and

executing the new software configuration on the test virtual machine to verify operational stability of the new software configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is a new computer software program that the customer does not currently own.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is a new release of a software application that customer is subscribing thereto.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is a new version of a currently installed software application of the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is an update to an existing computer program of the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is a change in the configuration data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software configuration is a change in the application and a change in the configuration data,

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving the client data from at least one instance of a client virtual machine at a site of the customer.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the client data is forwarded to the secure location from a client virtual machine at a site of the customer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the state information is based on configuration data and client data.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving the configuration data from the customer through a service portal.

10. A system for providing a quality assurance subscription service for a customer, the system comprising:

a service portal configured to provide subscription services; and

a secure location configured to store state information of a customer entered through the service portal, wherein the service portal can invoke the secure location to determine a new software application for the customer, to instantiate a test virtual machine based on state information of the customer in a secure location, and to execute the new software application on the test virtual machine to verify operational stability of the new software application in response to a selection of a selected subscription service.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the new software application is a new computer software program that the customer does not currently own.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the new software application is a new release of a software application that customer is subscribing thereto.

13. The system method of claim 10, wherein the new software application is a new version of a currently installed software application of the customer.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the new software application is an update to an existing computer program of the customer.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the state information is based on configuration data and client data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the service portal is configured to receive the configuration data from a web page accessed by the customer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the service portal is configured to receive the configuration data from a technical support person.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising receiving the client data from at least one instance of a client virtual machine at a site of the customer.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the client data is forwarded to the secure location from a client virtual machine at a site of the customer.

20. A method of providing quality assurance subscription service, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a certified vendor to test a software application;

selecting a plurality of customers;

instantiating a plurality of test virtual machines based on the respective configuration data of each customer of the plurality of customers; and

providing access to the plurality of test virtual machines for testing of the software application.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving respective client information of the plurality of customers into a service portal; and

determining the respective configuration data based on the respective client information.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the respective configuration data in a secure location.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising maintaining a list of certified vendors in a service portal, wherein each vendor on the list of certified vendor has complied with requirements of being certified.