Integrating Data Transform Test with Data Transform Tool

• US 20140081902A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Greenwood, Leonard D., Harden, Arron J., Sanders, Martin J., Vizor, Julian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3668 Software testing software testing in telephone exchanges H04M3/242, testing of hardware G06F11/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/33 Intelligent editors

Abstract

Embodiments relate to integrating data transform test with a data transform tool. A method and system are described for creating a data transform test for a data transform job having a data transform script, the method includes determining all data transform units available in the data transform job, determining a subset of the available data transform units for a new test, and generating a subset test execution script for the subset of data transform units from the data transform script. The method further includes determining boundary test data at each boundary of the subset of data transform units, defining a data transform test, and saving the data transform test for later testing. The data transform test includes the subset of data transform units with subset test execution script and with boundary test data.

Claims

1. A method for creating a data transform test for a data transform job having a data transform script, said method comprising:

determining all data transform units available in the data transform job;

determining a subset of the available data transform units for a new test;

generating a subset test execution script for the subset of data transform units from the data transform script;

determining boundary test data at each boundary of the subset of data transform units;

defining a data transform test comprising;

the subset of data transform units with subset test execution script and with boundary test data; and

saving the data transform test for later testing.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the block of determining boundary test data at each boundary point of the subset of transform units comprises determining different boundary options accordingly to whether that boundary is a data source or data target.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising for a data source boundary point, determining boundary test data as an input value according to one or more of the following criteria:

a specific value;

a random value;

a value from a source file; and

/or a value from another tool.

4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising for a data target boundary point, determining boundary test data as a valid output value according to one or more of the following criteria:

a specific value;

a value in a target file or a value in another tool.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising for a data target boundary point, determining boundary test data as a result provided by the subset test execution script.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising requesting that a user verify the result.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein a test name is created when a new data transform test is created.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a user can edit the created test name.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the data transform test directly references the data transform job and is saved as part of the data transform job to enable portability of both job and test.

19. A computer program product for creating a data transform test for a data transform job having a data transform script, said computer program product comprising computer readable recording medium having computer readable code stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

20. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium and loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, comprising software code portions, when said program is run on a computer, for performing the method of claim 1.

10. A system for creating a data transform test for a data transform job having a data transform script, said system comprising:

a process engine for determining all data transform units available in the data transform job;

a process engine for determining a subset of the available data transform units for a new test;

a process engine for generating a subset test execution script for the subset of data transform units from the data transform script;

a process engine for determining boundary test data at each boundary of the subset of data transform units;

a process engine for defining a data transform test comprising;

the subset of data transform units with subset test execution script and with boundary test data; and

storage for saving the data transform test for later testing.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the process engine for determining boundary test data at each boundary point of the subset of transform units comprises additional logical elements for determining different boundary options accordingly to whether that boundary is a data source or data target.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising for a data source boundary point, a process engine for determining boundary test data as an input value according to one or more of the following criteria:

a specific value;

a random value;

a value from a source file; and

/or a value from another tool.

13. A system according to claim 11, further comprising for a data target boundary point, a process engine for determining boundary test data as a valid output value according to one or more of the following criteria:

a specific value;

a value in a target file or a value in another tool.

14. A system according to claim 11, further comprising for a data target boundary point, a process engine for determining boundary test data as a result provided by the subset test execution script.

15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising a user interface for requesting that a user verify the result.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein a test name is created when a new data transform test is created.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein a user can edit the created test name.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the data transform test directly references the data transform job and is saved as part of the data transform job to enable portability of both job and test.