Method and system for generating and monitoring variable load on an application under test

• US 7,587,638 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kar, Ansuman, Nica, Doru C., Routon, George W., Shah, Achal K., Sequeira, Tyrone, Gimenez, Alexandre M., Vedantham, Vijayaraghavan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manoskey; Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US11/067,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/33, 714/38, 714/47
• US Class Current: 714/47.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3433 for load management allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems

Abstract

A facility executes on a central computer system and applies a time-varying load to an application program under test (AUT). The facility executes in a multiple number of modes or hierarchical levels as dictated by information provided in its configuration file. An instance of the facility executing at the highest or first-level of the hierarchy is responsible for spawning numerous subordinate or second-level instances of the facility on, for example, remote computer systems. These second-level instances of the facility may spawn additional subordinate or third-level executors on the same or remote computer systems. Ultimately, the lowest-level or leaf instances of the facility are spawned, and these leaf instances of the facility are responsible for launching the client test program instances that are used to test the AUT.

Claims

1. A computer system with a central processing unit and memory for generating and monitoring variable load on an application under test (AUT), the computer system comprising:

a first level of a hierarchy comprising a first instance of an executable being operable to;

determine a load to place on an AUT in each phase of a test run comprising a plurality of phases;

for each phase of the test run;

determine a number of instances of the executable to create in a second level of the hierarchy, wherein the number of instances of the executable to create in the second level of the hierarchy is based on the load to place on the AUT in the particular phase of the test run and a number of computer systems available to execute the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy in the particular phase of the test run;

generate a configuration file for each of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy;

launch the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy, each instance of the executable being launched on one of the computer systems that are available to execute the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy;

listen for a connection from each of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy; and

a second level of the hierarchy comprising a plurality of instances of the executable, each instance of the executable being operable to;

establish a connection to the instance of the executable in the first level of the hierarchy;

determine a number of instances of a test program to create on the computer system;

generate a client configuration file for each instance of the test program to create;

store the client configuration files;

launch the number of instances of the test program; and

listen for a connection from each instance of the test program,

such that each instance of the test program connects to the instance of the executable executing on the same computer system, and each instance of the test program executes according to its client configuration file.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the load is based on desired rates of activities to perform per time period.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the configuration file generated for each instance of the executor in the second level of the hierarchy specifies a list of activities to be performed by the instance of the executor in the second level of the hierarchy.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the number of instances of the executable to create in the second level of the hierarchy is based on the state of the preceding phase of the test run.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the number of instances of the executable to create in the second level of the hierarchy is based on a load rating for each of the computer systems available to execute the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the connection between the first instance of the executable in the first level of the hierarchy and each of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy facilitate the sending of messages between the instances of the executable.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the messages are relay type messages.

8. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the messages are performance type messages.

9. A computer-implemented method for generating and monitoring variable load on an application under test (AUT), the method comprising:

determining whether an executable is to execute in a first mode or a second mode of operation;

responsive to determining that the executable is to execute in the first mode of operation;

determining a load to place on an AUT in a first phase of a test run comprising a plurality of phases;

determining a number of instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation, wherein the number of instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation is based on the load to place on the AUT in the first phase of the test run and a number of computer systems available to execute the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation in the first phase of the test run;

generating a configuration file for each of the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation;

launching the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation, each instance of the executable being launched on one of the computer systems that are available to execute the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation;

listening for a connection from each of the instances of the executable that is executing in the second mode of operation; and

responsive to determining that the executable is to execute in the second mode of operation;

establishing a connection to the instance of the executable that is executing in the first mode of operation;

determining a number of instances of a test program to create;

generating a client configuration file for each instance of the test program to create;

storing the client configuration files;

launching the number of instances of the test program; and

listening for a connection from each instance of the test program,

such that each instance of the test program connects to the instance of the executable that is executing in the second mode of operation, and each instance of the test program executes according to its client configuration file.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising, responsive to determining that the executable is to execute in the first mode of operation:

determining a load to place on an AUT in a second phase of the test run comprising the plurality of phases;

determining a number of instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation, wherein the number of instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation is based on the load to place on the AUT in the second phase of the test run and a number of computer systems available to execute the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation in the second phase of the test run;

generating a configuration file for each of the instances of the executable that is to execute in the second mode of operation; and

launching the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation, each instance of the executable being launched on one of the computer systems that are available to execute the instances of the executable that are to execute in the second mode of operation.

11. A computer system with a central processing unit and memory implementing a hierarchical system for generating and monitoring variable load on an application under test (AUT), the system comprising:

a first level of a hierarchy comprising a first instance of an executable;

a second level of the hierarchy comprising a plurality of instances of the executable, each of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy being a child of the first instance of the executable;

a third level of the hierarchy comprising a plurality of instances of a client test program, each of the instances of the client test program being a child of one of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy;

a communication channel between each of the plurality of instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy and its parent in the first level of the hierarchy; and

a communication channel between each of the plurality of instances of the client test program and its parent in the second level of the hierarchy,

wherein the first instance of the executable determines the number of its children executable instances in the second level of the hierarchy, and further wherein each of the instances of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy determines the number of its children client test program instances.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the number of children executable instances in the second level of the hierarchy is based on a load to place on an application under test.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein each instance of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy determines the number of its children client test program instances based on the activities the instance of the executable is to perform.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein each instance of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy is operable to be started by its parent in the first level of the hierarchy.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein at least one instance of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy is operable to be started manually.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein at least one instance of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy is operable to be terminated by its parent in the first level of the hierarchy.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein at least one instance of the executable in the second level of the hierarchy is operable to be terminated manually.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first instance of the executable in the first level of the hierarchy allows a user to enter a test command, wherein the first instance of the executable relays the user-entered test command to at least one child in the second level of the hierarchy.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the at least one child in the second level of the hierarchy relays the user-entered test command to at least one child in the third level of the hierarchy.

20. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the communication channels allow messages to be passed between the instances of the executable in the first and second levels of the hierarchy and the instances of the client test program in the third level of the hierarchy.