TEST ENVIRONMENT MANAGED WITHIN TESTS

• US 20140109052A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: TEMPEL, Mark, GIBBENS, David, SCHISSEL, Callistus C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0712 in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0772 Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

In a method of managing a test environment, a test of a software item is initiated, wherein the test manages a test environment that the test executes test cases against during run time. At least one global variable file is accessed. The global variable file describes the test environment and defines references to machine names.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause a computing system to perform a method of managing a test environment, said method comprising:

initiating a test of a software item, wherein said test manages a test environment that said test executes test cases against during run time; and

accessing at least one global variable file, wherein said global variable file describes said test environment, and wherein said global variable file defines references to machine names.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

reverting virtual machine snapshots.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

starting at least one virtual machine.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

stopping at least one virtual machine.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said instructions cause said test to be performed in a cloud-based computing environment.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said instructions cause said test to modify said test environment such that said test begins in a predetermined test environment.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said instructions permit said test to be written in the same commonly used language as test cases that do not manage testing environments.

8. A method of managing a test environment, said method comprising:

initiating a test of a software item, wherein said test manages a test environment that said test executes test cases against during run time; and

accessing at least one global variable file, wherein said global variable file describes said test environment, and wherein said global variable file defines references to machine names.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

reverting virtual machine snapshots.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

starting at least one virtual machine.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

stopping at least one virtual machine.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said test is performed in a cloud-based computing environment.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said test is operable to modify said test environment such that said test begins in a predetermined test environment.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said test is written in the same commonly used language as test cases that do not manage testing environments.

15. A computing environment comprising:

a testing framework comprising;

a framework layer;

a test environment management add-on providing actions to all layers;

a custom action layer;

at least one fixture layer to communicate with said framework layer and said custom action layer; and

a test layer to communicate with said custom action layer.

16. The computing environment of claim 15, wherein actions in said test environment management add-on is operable to start at least one virtual machine, revert at least one virtual machine to a snapshot, and wherein said test environment management layer is operable to stop at least one virtual machine.

17. The computing environment of claim 15, wherein a test alters said testing environment, and wherein said testing environment is a predetermined testing environment.