Method and apparatus for testing software on a computer network
First Claim
1. A method of testing software on a network comprising a target computer system and a host computer system, said target computer system comprising a target operating system and the software being tested, said host computer system comprising a host operating system and a software debugger that controls testing of said software, the method comprising:
- establishing, using said software debugger, a network connection for communications between said host computer system and said target computer system;
transitioning, in response to said establishing, said target computer system into a stopped state in which it awaits input from said host computer system and in which system interrupts are masked;
issuing to said software debugged a debug command that indicates a function to be performed by said target computer system;
determining, in response to said issuing, one or more network debugging protocol messages defining steps necessary for the target computer system to perform said function indicated by said debug command;
communicating to said target computer system using said network connection said network debugging protocol messages;
performing said steps in said target computer system to complete said function indicates by said debug command;
transitioning, in response to performing said steps, the target computer system between said stopped state and an interrupt-driven state in which said target computer system is in a normal system processing and execution state and in which a network hardware device that interfaces said target computer system with said network signals interrupts; and
reporting to said host computer system results of performing said steps and state information upon transitioning about said target computer system.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of remote debugging comprises a first computer system that communicates with a second computer using a network connection. The first computer system controls the remote debugging and comprises a first operating system. The second computer system comprises a second operating system and software being tested. User input, in the form of debug commands, is received using a remote debugger in the first computer system to control the remote debugging session. The remote debugger translates a debug command into messages that are sent from the first computer system to the second computer system. The messages correspond to tasks that the target computer system performs to complete the debug command. During debugging, the target computer system transitions between polling or stopped mode and interrupt-driven mode by transitioning both the target operating system and network hardware in the target computer system that interfaces with the network.
244 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of testing software on a network comprising a target computer system and a host computer system, said target computer system comprising a target operating system and the software being tested, said host computer system comprising a host operating system and a software debugger that controls testing of said software, the method comprising:
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establishing, using said software debugger, a network connection for communications between said host computer system and said target computer system; transitioning, in response to said establishing, said target computer system into a stopped state in which it awaits input from said host computer system and in which system interrupts are masked; issuing to said software debugged a debug command that indicates a function to be performed by said target computer system; determining, in response to said issuing, one or more network debugging protocol messages defining steps necessary for the target computer system to perform said function indicated by said debug command; communicating to said target computer system using said network connection said network debugging protocol messages; performing said steps in said target computer system to complete said function indicates by said debug command; transitioning, in response to performing said steps, the target computer system between said stopped state and an interrupt-driven state in which said target computer system is in a normal system processing and execution state and in which a network hardware device that interfaces said target computer system with said network signals interrupts; and reporting to said host computer system results of performing said steps and state information upon transitioning about said target computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for testing software on a network that comprises a target computer system and a host computer system, said target computer system comprising a target operating system and the software being tested, said host computer system comprising a host operating system and a software debugger that controls testing of said software, the apparatus comprising:
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establishing means for establishing, using a software debugger, a network connection for communications between said host computer system and said target computer system; transitioning means for transitioning, in response to said establishing means, said target computer system into a stopped state in which it awaits input from said host computer system and in which system interrupts are masked; issuing means for issuing to said software debugger a debug command that indicates a function to be performed by said target computer system; determining means for determining, in response to said issuing means, one or more network debugging protocol messages defining steps necessary for the target computer system to perform said function indicated by said debug command; communicating means for communicating to said target computer system using said network connection said network debugging protocol messages; performing means for performing said steps in said target computer system to complete said function indicating by said debug command; transitioning means for transitioning, in response to performing means, the target computer system between said stopped state and an interrupt-driven state in which said target computer system is in a normal system processing and execution state and in which a network hardware device that interfaces said target computer system with said computer network signals interrupts; and reporting means for reporting to said host computer system results of said performing means performing said steps and state information upon transitioning about said target computer system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification