Preserve status parameter for testing in computing system

• US 8,892,952 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Alexander, Eugenie L., Bariska, Arthur J. Jr., Cousens, Matthew T., Kovalchick, Eileen S., Masser, Joel L., McKenzie, Kevin D., Tedesco, Eileen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUYTON, PHILIP A
• Application Number:
  US13/447,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38.1, 714/38.11, 717124-130
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management

Abstract

A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system includes setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter; issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system; executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved by the set preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved; determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test; in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system.

Claims

1. A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system, the method comprising:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter, wherein setting the preserve status parameter is performed in the call to the function under test by the calling process;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the preserve status parameter comprises specifying a particular memory area in the computing system to be preserved.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory area comprises one of a control block, an internal request element, table information, a buffer, a buffer control block, a work unit block, a placeholder, and metadata.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein making the data in the memory area available for inspection comprises performing one of a dump and a state save.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the memory area comprises issuing a second call to the function under test by the calling process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a timer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the timer comprises a cleanup sequence that is performed with a set periodicity, such that a preserved memory area that is determined to have been preserved for longer than a threshold preservation time is automatically released by the cleanup sequence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a shortage of memory in the computing system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling process comprises a first software module, and the function under test comprises a second software module.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling process comprises a computer hardware management module, and the function under test comprises a function of a piece of computer hardware managed by the computer hardware management module.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computing system, implements a method for testing using a preserve status parameter, wherein the method comprises:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter, wherein setting the preserve status parameter is performed in the call to the function under test by the calling process;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein setting the preserve status parameter comprises specifying a particular memory area in the computing system to be preserved.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the memory area comprises one of a control block, an internal request element, table information, a buffer, a buffer control block, a work unit block, a placeholder, and metadata.

14. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein making the data in the memory area available for inspection comprises performing one of a dump and a state save.

15. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein releasing the memory area comprises issuing a second call to the function under test by the calling process.

16. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a timer.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the timer comprises a cleanup sequence that is performed with a set periodicity, such that a preserved memory area that is determined to have been preserved for longer than a threshold preservation time is automatically released by the cleanup sequence.

18. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a shortage of memory in the computing system.

19. A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system, the method comprising:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter, wherein setting the preserve status parameter comprises specifying a particular memory area in the computing system to be preserved;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system.

20. A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system, the method comprising:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a timer.

21. A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system, the method comprising:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a shortage of memory in the computing system.

22. A method for testing using a preserve status parameter in a computing system, the method comprising:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system;

wherein the calling process comprises a computer hardware management module, and the function under test comprises a function of a piece of computer hardware managed by the computer hardware management module.

23. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computing system, implements a method for testing using a preserve status parameter, wherein the method comprises:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter, wherein setting the preserve status parameter comprises specifying a particular memory area in the computing system to be preserved;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system.

24. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computing system, implements a method for testing using a preserve status parameter, wherein the method comprises:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a timer.

25. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computing system, implements a method for testing using a preserve status parameter, wherein the method comprises:

setting, by a calling process in the computing system, the preserve status parameter;

issuing a call to a function under test by the calling process in the computing system;

executing the function under test in the computing system, wherein data in a memory area accessed by the function under test during execution is preserved based on the preserve status parameter, such that the computing system does not reuse the memory area while the data in the memory area is being preserved;

determining if an error occurred during execution of the function under test;

in the event an error is determined to have occurred during execution of the function under test, making the data in the memory area available for inspection; and

releasing the memory area for reuse by the computing system, wherein releasing the memory area is performed based on a shortage of memory in the computing system.