Completing functional testing

• US 8,739,131 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gyure, Wesley J., Hoover, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Hang
• Application Number:
  US11/744,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 717/126, 717/121
• US Class Current: 717/126
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management

Abstract

The Functional Tester Plug-in (FTP) extracts information from a data base to enhance automated testing tools to accommodate changes to the computer environment and so that a simulation can be fully executed even if an exception occurs. The FTP accesses the test script and static data store created by a developer using the automated testing tool, wherein the test script and static data store indicate a first resource to be tested at a verification point and a first expected result. The FTP identifies the first resource used by the test script at a first verification point and accesses the data base. The FTP identifies the status and configuration of the first resource in the data base. The FTP calculates and optimal expected result based any changes in the status and configuration of the first resource. The FTP executes the test script using the optimal expected result based any changes in the status and configuration of the first resource.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enhancing an automated testing tool, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a functional tester application running in the memory;

a test script and static data store created by a developer using the automated testing tool stored in the memory, wherein the test script and static data store indicate that the first resource is tested at a verification point and wherein the static data store contains a first expected result;

a first resource and a second resource connected to the processor;

a Configuration Management Data Base (CMDB) running in the memory containing configuration items related to the first resource and the second resource, and indicating that the second resource is related to the first resource;

a functional tester plug-in program in the memory operable to;

access the test script and the static data store;

identify the first resource used by the test script at a first verification point;

access the CMDB to identify a configuration change related to the first resource;

calculate an updated first expected result based on the configuration change of the first resource;

execute the test script at the verification point using the updated first expected result based on the configuration change of the first resource;

identify an optimum set of resources in the CMBD related to the first resource;

calculate an optimum set of expected result based on the configuration of the optimum set of resources; and

execute the test script at the verification point using the optimum set of resources and optimum set of expected results.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the functional tester plug-in program in the memory is further operable to:

identify a second resource related to the first resource from a record in the CMDB;

calculate a second expected result based on executing the test script with the second resource; and

responsive to an exception generated by the automated testing too at the first verification point, repeat the test at the verification point with the second resource.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the automated testing tool is the Rational Functional Tester.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the functional tester plug-in program in the memory is further operable to use meta-data definitions to query the data base with respect to the first resource.

5. A computer program product comprising a computer memory having stored therein computer usable program instructions for enhancing an automated testing tool, the computer usable program instructions, which when executed by a computer hardware system, cause the computer hardware system to perform:

accessing a test script and a static data store created by a developer using the automated testing tool, wherein the test script and the static data store indicates a first resource to be tested at a verification point and the static data store contains a first expected result;

identifying the first resource used by the test script at a first verification point;

accessing a data base comprising configuration information related to the first resource;

identifying a configuration change related to the first resource from a record in the data base;

calculating an updated first expected result based on the configuration change of the first resource;

executing the test script at the verification point using the updated first expected result based on the configuration change of the first resource;

identifying an optimum set of resources in the data base related to the first resource;

calculating an optimum set of expected result based on the configuration of the optimum set of resources; and

executing the test script at the verification point using the optimum set of resources and optimum set of expected results.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the computer usable program instructions further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

identifying a second resource related to the first resource from a record in the data base;

calculating a second expected result based on executing the test script with the second resource; and

responsive to an exception generated by the automated testing tool at the first verification point, repeating the test at the verification point with the second resource.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein

the automated testing tool is the Rational Functional Tester.

8. The computer program product of claim 5,

wherein the data base is a Configuration Management Data Base (CMDB).

9. The computer program product of claim 5,

wherein meta-data definitions are used to query the data base with respect to the first resource.