Test data generation and scale up for database testing using unique common factor sequencing

• US 8,549,046 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2012
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Clifford, Austin, Emanowicz, Konrad, McCallig, Enda, Murtagh, Gary, Scally, Clare
• Primary Examiner(s): Saeed, Usmaan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, MICHELE C
• Application Number:
  US13/411,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 576 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2282 Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing is provided. The method includes loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in memory of a computer. A column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table is selected for processing and different cardinality sequence values are assigned to the columns in the set such that the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity as in the case of prime numbers.

Claims

1. A method for test data generation using unique common factor sequencing, the method comprising:

loading a table for population with test data in a test data generation tool executing in a memory of a computer;

selecting a column set of multiple columns in the table associated with a key to the table;

assigning different cardinality sequence values to the columns in the set, wherein the cardinality sequence values do not share a common factor except for unity;

generating data for a specified number of rows of each column in the column set according to a formula currentRowValue=((row_number−

1)% cardinality_value)+1;

additionally generating random data for other columns of the table without regard to any particular cardinality sequence value; and

persisting the table for use in database testing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising scaling up the table to a new table of an original upper portion and an added lower portion by continuing into the added lower portion a sequence for each column in the set of columns based upon corresponding ones of the cardinality sequence values, while duplicating data in the other columns of the table in the added lower portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein continuing into the added lower portion a sequence for each column in the set of columns based upon corresponding ones of the cardinality sequence values, while duplicating data in the other columns of the table in the added lower portion, comprises continuing into the added lower portion a sequence for each column in the set of columns based upon the formula:

modifiedRowValue=(L+V−

1% R)+1,

where L is a last value in the table for the column, V is an existing value for a row of the column in the new table and R is a range for the column in the new table, while duplicating data in the other columns of the table in the added lower portion.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein continuing into the added lower portion a sequence for each column in the set of columns based upon corresponding ones of the cardinality sequence values, while duplicating data in the other columns of the table in the added lower portion, comprises continuing into the added lower portion a sequence for each column in the set of columns based upon the formula:

modifiedRowValue=(L+V−

1% R)+1+(M−

R),

where L is a last value in the table for the column, V is an existing value for a row of the column in the new table, M is a maximum value for the column in the new table and R is a range for the column in the new table, while duplicating data in the other columns of the table in the added lower portion.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying at least one column of the table corresponding to a hash distribution key; and

duplicating data from all columns of the table that corresponds to the hash distribution key into the new table, but creating both the original upper portion and the added lower portion of the new table, each with a number of new rows as a prime number less than or equal to a product of ranges of the columns corresponding to the distribution key.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning different cardinality sequence values to the columns in the set, wherein the cardinality sequence values do not share the common factor except for unity, comprises assigning the different cardinality sequence values to the columns in the set, wherein the cardinality sequence values are different prime numbers.