Method of and system for testing compatibility with an external API upgrade

• US 6,591,417 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Daumas, Henri W., Strysniewicz, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/475,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168, 717/173, 717/126
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A system for tests the compatibility of an external API upgrade with an existing user application during the installation of the API upgrade by installing the API upgrade in a temporary address space and launching a test process for each API of the API upgrade that is used by the existing user application. If the result received from each of the APIs matches the result expected from the API, the system completes installation of the API in permanent address space. If any test process terminates unexpectedly, or any result fails to match the expected result, the system notifies the user of a problem and terminates installation of the API upgrade.

Claims

1. A method of testing compatibility of an external API upgrade with an existing user application, which comprises the steps of:

installing the API upgrade, said API upgrade including at least one API, in a temporary address space;

launching a process that will call or exercise said at least one API;

comparing a result received from said at least one API with a known good value for said process.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said API upgrade includes a plurality of APIs, and said method includes the steps of:

launching a process for each said API; and

,

comparing a result received from each said API with a known good value for said process.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of:

installing said API in a permanent address space if said result received from said at least one API matches said known good value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of:

terminating installation of said API upgrade if said process for said at least one API terminates unexpectedly.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of:

terminating installation of said API upgrade if said result received from said at least one API does not match said known good value.

6. A method of installing an external API upgrade in a computer system, which comprises the steps of:

installing said API upgrade in temporary address space of said computer system;

testing the compatibility of said API upgrade with an exiting user application in said computer system; and

,

completing installation of said API upgrade in permanent address space of said computer system if said API upgrade is compatible with said exiting user application.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of testing the compatibility of said API with said existing user application includes the steps of:

launching a process for an API of said API upgrade; and

,

comparing the result received from API with a known good value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of testing the compatibility of said API with said existing user application includes the steps of:

launching a process for each API of said API upgrade used by said exiting application; and

,

comparing the result received from said each API with a known good value.

9. A method of testing the compatibility of an external API upgrade with an existing user application, which comprises the steps of:

creating a test process for each API of said API upgrade used by said existing user application;

determining an expected result for said each API of said API upgrade used by said existing user application;

installing said API upgrade in a temporary address space;

launching each test process; and

,

receiving a result for each test process.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, including the step of:

comparing the result received for each test process with the expected result for said test process.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, including the step of:

completing installation of said API upgrade if the result received for each test process matches the expected result for said test process.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, including the step of:

terminating installation of said API upgrade if any result received for a test process fails to match the expected result for said test process.

13. A system for testing the compatibility of an external API upgrade with an existing user application, which comprises:

means for launching a test process for each API of said API upgrade used by said existing user application;

means for storing an expected result for said each API of said API upgrade used by said existing user application; and

,

means for comparing the result received for each test process with the expected result for said test process.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, including means for installing said API upgrade in temporary address space.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, including means for installing said API upgrade in permanent address space if the result received for each test process matches the expected result for said test process.