Event-enabled distributed testing system

• US 6,704,883 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Chen, Wooton, Donald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarthy, Christopher S.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,025
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/4, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A distributed computer network testing system includes a test controller and at least one test agent. One or more test agents are configured with interpreters configured to execute instructions contained in a test script. When the test begins, the test controller publishes the test script to an event engine that broadcasts the script on the network. Test agents subscribing to the test script receive the script. Script receipt is the event that triggers test script execution by each interpreter on each subscribing test agent. Each test agent sends test results to the test controller that, in turn, sends all results to a test analysis agent. The analysis agent analyzes the test results and produces a test report that is output to the user.

Claims

1. A method of executing a distributed test over a computer network, the method comprising the acts of:

configuring a first test agent connected to the network to run a test script in response to a request to configure the first test agent, wherein the act of configuring the first test agent to run a test script comprises;

transferring a first interpreter to the first test agent, wherein the first interpreter is configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the first test agent;

transferring the test script from a test controller connected to the network to the first test agent; and

running the test script on the first test agent upon the occurrence of an event, wherein the event is the receipt by the first test agent of the test script.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the acts of:

configuring a second test agent connected to the network to run the test script in response to a request to configure the first test agent;

transferring the test script from the test controller to the second test agent; and

running the test script on the second test agent upon the occurrence of a second event,

wherein the second event is the receipt by the second test agent of the test script.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the act of configuring the second test agent to run the test script comprises:

transferring a second interpreter to the second test agent, wherein the second interpreter is configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the second test agent different from the software architecture of the test agent.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the acts of:

producing by the first test agent a test result after the running of the test script on the first test agent; and

transferring the test result from the first test agent to the test controller.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising the acts of:

receiving by the test controller a plurality of test results from a plurality of test agents;

transferring the test results to an analysis agent; and

using the analysis agent to produce a test report containing an analysis of the test results.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of configuring the first test agent connected to the network to run the test script comprises:

configuring the first test agent to run the test script comprising a test type and one or more component test scripts.

7. A computer network testing system comprising:

a first test agent configured to run a test script upon the occurrence of an event, wherein the event is the receipt by the first test agent of the test script; and

a test controller connected via a network to the first test agent, wherein

the test controller is configured to transfer the test script to the first test agent and to transfer a first interpreter to the first test agent in response to a request to configure the first test agent, wherein

the first interpreter is configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the first test agent.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first test agent is configured to run the test script using the first interpreter.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising a second test agent connected via the network to the test controller, wherein the second test agent is configured to run the test script upon the occurrence of a second event, and the second event is the receipt by the second test agent of the test script.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second test agent is configured to run the test script using a second interpreter configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the second test agent.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first test agent is configured to produce a test result after running the test script, and to transfer the test result to the test controller.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising an analysis agent, wherein the test controller is configured to transfer to the analysis agent a plurality of test results received from a plurality of test agents, and wherein the analysis agent is configured to produce a test report containing an analysis of the test results.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the test script comprises a test type and one or more component test scripts.

14. A computer-readable storage medium configured with computer-executable coded instructions for at least one computer coupled to a network, the instructions comprising instructions operable to:

configure a first test agent connected to the network to run a test script in response to a request to configure the first test agent, wherein the instructions to configure the first test agent comprise instructions operable to transfer a first interpreter to the first test agent, wherein the first interpreter is configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the first test agent.

15. The storage medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions further comprise instructions operable to:

configure a second test agent connected to the network to run the test script in response to a request to configure the second test agent;

transfer the test script from the test controller to the second test agent; and

run the test script on the second test agent upon the occurrence of a second event,

wherein the second event is the receipt by the second test agent of the test script.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions to configure the second test agent to run the test script comprise instructions operable to transfer a second interpreter to the second test agent, wherein the second interpreter is configured to interpret instructions contained in the test script under a software architecture of the second test agent different from the software architecture of the test agent.

17. The storage medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions further comprise instructions operable to:

produce by the first test agent a test result after the running of the test script on the first test agent; and

transfer the test result from the first test agent to the test controller.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions further comprise instructions operable to:

receive by the test controller a plurality of test results from a plurality of test agents;

transfer the test results to an analysis agent; and

use the analysis agent to produce a test report containing an analysis of the test results.

19. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions to configure the first test agent connected to the network to run the test script comprise:

instructions operable to configure the first test agent to run a test script comprising a test type and one or more component test scripts.