Test tool and methods for testing a system-managed duplexed structure

• US 6,915,455 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tuttle, Scott B., Shaw, Thomas C., Jones, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US10/078,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38, 714/39, 714/43, 714/37, 714/42, 714/31, 714/29, 714/11, 714/5, 714/33, 714/47, 717/124, 717/126, 717/129, 717/115, 717/116, 717/127, 717/141, 709/212, 709/248, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 714/38.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software

Abstract

Test tool logic and testing methods are provided for facilitating testing a duplexed computer function, such as a duplexed coupling facility. The test tool allows a testcase written for a first environment to be automatically driven in a second environment, thereby facilitating testing of a function of the second environment. Other aspects include logic for intercepting a system event by a test tool to facilitate testing of system-managed event processing, and for adjusting a display characteristic of one or more messages to be displayed by the test tool based on message type. Further, logic for propagating an environmental error indication and for facilitating processing a wait state are also provided, as are several new test tool verbs and macros.

Claims

1. A method of testing a system-managed duplexed structure, said method comprising:

testing a system-managed duplexed structure employing a testcase, said system-managed duplexed structure comprising a primary structure and a secondary structure; and

wherein said testing further comprises generating a request for one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure and processing said request, said processing comprising;

determining whether said one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure comprises the primary structure or the secondary structure;

responsive to said determining, obtaining primary structure information or secondary structure information corresponding to said one instance; and

employing said primary structure information or secondary structure information in directing said request to said one instance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a size of a data buffer associated with said request and sending said request to the identified instance asynchronously if the data buffer size is greater than a predefined value, otherwise sending the request to the identified instance synchronously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure having no externally available interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the testcase facilitates at least one of creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, reading information from the primary structure, reading information from the secondary structure, and comparing the read primary information and the read secondary information to determine whether there is a match indicative of testcase success.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing further comprises creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, directing a request to delete data from the secondary structure, issuing a request to update both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, and determining whether the request fails indicative of an out-of-sync condition, and therefore testcase success.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure, and wherein the request comprises at least one of reading information from said one instance of the coupling facility structure, updating information in said one instance of the coupling facility structure, deactivating duplexing in said one instance of the coupling facility structure or retrieving information about said coupling facility structure itself.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said one instance comprises the secondary structure, and wherein said request is directed to said secondary structure without breaking duplexing of said system-managed duplexed structure.

8. A system for testing a system-managed duplexed structure, said system comprising:

means for testing a system-managed duplexed structure employing a testcase, said system-managed duplexed structure comprising a primary structure and a secondary structure; and

wherein said means for testing further comprises means for generating a request for one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure and means for processing said request, said means for processing comprising;

means for determining whether said one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure comprises the primary structure or the secondary structure;

responsive to said determining, means for obtaining primary structure information or secondary structure information corresponding to said one instance; and

means for employing said primary structure information or secondary structure information in directing said request to said one instance.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for determining a size of a data buffer associated with said request and for sending said request to the identified instance asynchronously if the data buffer size is greater than a predefined value, otherwise sending the request to the identified instance synchronously.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure having no externally available interface.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the testcase facilitates at least one of creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, reading information from the primary structure, reading information from the secondary structure, and comparing the read primary information and the read secondary information to determine whether there is a match indicative of testcase success.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for testing further comprises means for creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, means for directing a request to delete data from the secondary structure, means for issuing a request to update both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, and means for determining whether the request fails indicative of an out-of-sync condition, and therefore testcase success.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure, and wherein the request comprises at least one of a request for reading information from said one instance of the coupling facility structure, updating information in said one instance of the coupling facility structure, deactivating duplexing in said one instance of the coupling facility structure or retrieving information about said coupling facility structure itself.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said one instance comprises the secondary structure, and wherein said request is directed to said secondary structure without breaking duplexing of said system-managed duplexed structure.

15. A system for testing a system-managed duplexed structure, said system comprising:

at least one computing unit adapted to test a system-managed duplexed structure employing a testcase, said system-managed duplexed structure comprising a primary structure and a secondary structure; and

wherein said at least one computing unit further comprises at least one computing unit adapted to generate a request from one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure and to process said request, said processing comprising;

determining whether said one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure comprises the primary structure or the secondary structure;

responsive to said determining, obtaining primary structure information or secondary structure information corresponding to said one instance; and

employing said primary structure information or secondary structure information in directing said request to said one instance.

16. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of testing a system-managed duplexed structure, said method comprising:

testing a system-managed duplexed structure employing a testcase, said system-managed duplexed structure comprising a primary structure and a secondary structure; and

wherein said testing further comprises generating a request for one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure and processing said request, said processing comprising;

determining whether said one instance of the system-managed duplexed structure comprises the primary structure or the secondary structure;

responsive to said determining, obtaining primary structure information or secondary structure information corresponding to said one instance; and

employing said primary structure information or secondary structure information in directing said request to said one instance.

17. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, further comprising determining a size of a data buffer associated with said request and sending said request to the identified instance asynchronously if the data buffer size is greater than a predefined value, otherwise sending the request to the identified instance synchronously.

18. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure having no externally available interface.

19. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, wherein the testcase facilitates at least one of creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, reading information from the primary structure, reading information from the secondary structure, and comparing the read primary information and the read secondary information to determine whether there is a match indicative of testcase success.

20. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, wherein the testing further comprises creating data in both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, directing a request to delete data from the secondary structure, issuing a request to update both instances of the system-managed duplexed structure, and determining whether the request fails indicative of an out-of-sync condition, and therefore testcase success.

21. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, wherein the system-managed duplexed structure comprises a coupling facility structure, and wherein the request comprises at least one of reading information from said one instance of the coupling facility structure, updating information in said one instance of the coupling facility structure, deactivating duplexing in said one instance of the coupling facility structure or retrieving information about said coupling facility structure itself.

22. The at least one program storage device of claim 16, wherein said one instance comprises the secondary structure, and wherein said request is directed to said secondary structure without breaking duplexing of said system-managed duplexed structure.