Method and apparatus for automatic updating and testing of software
First Claim
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1. A method in a data processing system for updating a software component that is included in a data processing system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- determining whether to update the software component;
responsive to a determination to update the software component, updating the software component to form an updated software component;
tracking information, by a primary update management component, related to particular implementations;
establishing a testing policy that specifies ones of a plurality of tests based on information related to a particular implementation;
identifying a particular implementation used in the update of the software component;
selecting ones of the plurality of tests that are specified for the particular implementation to form selected tests;
automatically performing the selected tests on the updated software component;
establishing an error procedure policy that specifies at least one of a plurality of error procedures based on a type of error;
responsive to the updated software component failing one of the selected tests, determining a type of error that occurred;
selecting one of the plurality of error procedures that is specified for the type of error that occurred;
utilizing said selected one of the plurality of error procedures to determine whether a corrective action should be performed;
in response to determining that no corrective action should be performed, leaving the updated software component unchanged; and
,in response to determining that a corrective action should be performed, performing a corrective action according to the selected one of the plurality of error procedures.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for updating a software component. A determination is made as to whether to update the software component. The software component is updated to form an updated software component in response to a determination to update the software component. The updated software component is automatically tested. A corrective action is performed in response to a failure in testing of the updated component.
176 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system for updating a software component that is included in a data processing system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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determining whether to update the software component; responsive to a determination to update the software component, updating the software component to form an updated software component; tracking information, by a primary update management component, related to particular implementations; establishing a testing policy that specifies ones of a plurality of tests based on information related to a particular implementation; identifying a particular implementation used in the update of the software component; selecting ones of the plurality of tests that are specified for the particular implementation to form selected tests; automatically performing the selected tests on the updated software component; establishing an error procedure policy that specifies at least one of a plurality of error procedures based on a type of error; responsive to the updated software component failing one of the selected tests, determining a type of error that occurred; selecting one of the plurality of error procedures that is specified for the type of error that occurred; utilizing said selected one of the plurality of error procedures to determine whether a corrective action should be performed; in response to determining that no corrective action should be performed, leaving the updated software component unchanged; and
,in response to determining that a corrective action should be performed, performing a corrective action according to the selected one of the plurality of error procedures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A data processing system for updating a software component, the data processing system comprising:
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a bus system; a communications unit connected to the bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to determine whether to update the software component;
update the software component to form an updated software component in response to a determination to update the software component;
track information, by a primary update management component, related to particular implementations;
establish a testing policy that specifies ones of a plurality of tests based on information related to a particular implementation;
identify a particular implementation used in updating the software component;
select ones of the plurality of tests that are specified for the particular implementation to form selected tests;
automatically perform the selected tests on the updated software component;
establish an error procedure policy that specifies at least one of a plurality of error procedures based on a type of error;
responsive to the updated software component failing one of the selected tests, determine a type of error that occurred;
select one of the plurality of error procedures that is specified for the type of error that occurred;
utilize said selected one of the plurality of error procedures to determine whether a corrective action should be performed;
in response to determining that no corrective action should be performed, leave the updated software component unchanged; and
in response to determining that a corrective action should be performed, perform a corrective action according to the selected one of the plurality of error procedures.
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15. A data processing system for updating a software component, the data processing system comprising:
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first determining means for determining whether to update the software component; updating means, responsive to a determination to update the software component, for updating the software component to form an updated software component; first tracking means for tracking information, by a primary update management component, related to particular implementations; first establishing means for establishing a testing policy that specifies ones of a plurality of tests based on information related to a particular implementation; identifying means for identifying a particular implementation used in the update of the software component; first selection means for selecting ones of the plurality of tests that are specified for the particular implementation to form selected tests; testing means for automatically performing the selected tests on the updated software component; second establishing means for establishing an error procedure policy that specifies at least one of a plurality of error procedures based on a type of error; second determining means, responsive to the updated software component failing one of the selected tests, for determining a type of error that occurred; second selection means for selecting one of the plurality of error procedures that is specified for the type of error that occurred; utilizing means for utilizing said selected one of the plurality of error procedures to determine whether a corrective action should be performed; means responsive to determining that no corrective action should be performed, for leaving the updated software component unchanged and performing means, responsive to determining that a corrective action should be performed, for performing a corrective action according to the selected one of the plurality of error procedures. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer program product in a statutory tangible computer readable medium for updating a software component, the computer program product comprising:
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first instructions for determining whether to update the software component; second instructions, responsive to a determination to update the software component, for updating the software component to form an updated software component; third instructions for tracking information, by a primary update management component, related to particular implementations; and fourth instructions for establishing a testing policy that specifies one of a plurality of tests based on information related to a particular implementation; fifth instructions for identifying a particular implementation used to implement the data processing system; sixth instructions for selecting ones of the plurality of tests that are specified for the particular implementation to form selected tests; seventh instructions for automatically performing the selected tests on the updated software component; and eighth instructions, responsive to the updated component failing one of the selected tests, for performing a corrective action, by selecting one of a plurality of error procedures based on a type of error, from an error procedure policy.
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Specification