Scheduled software item testing

• US 9,292,422 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schissel, Callistus C, Moravec, Andrew, McDonald, Sean, Rens, Scott, Gibbens, David
• Primary Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US13/650,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

In a method of testing a software item, a graphical user interface is presented for scheduling a test of the software item. Specified information regarding conduct of a test is received via the graphical user interface. The specified information includes a test time for initiating the test. The test is initiated at the test time.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause a computing system to perform a method of software item testing, said method comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface for scheduling a test of a software item, said graphical user interface comprising a test name field, test time initiation selections and an electronic notification entry field;

receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of a test, said specified information comprising said name of said test, a test time for initiating said test, a recurrence interval for executing said test, and an electronic notification location for sending results of said test;

initiating said test at said test time and in accordance with said recurrence interval;

in response to an error condition occurring during said test, pausing said test while maintaining said test in an active state without terminating said test;

electronically sending a report of said error condition to said electronic notification location while said test is paused; and

maintaining said test in said active state while paused for a pre-specified period of time to permit for receiving an alteration to said test.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to completion of said test, sending results of said test to said electronic notification location.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of a test comprises:

receiving an immediate time as said test time.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of a test comprises:

receiving a future scheduled time as said test time.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of a test further comprises:

receiving a selection of a single computing environment within which said test is to be performed on said software item.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of a test further comprises:

receiving a selection of a plurality of computing environments within which said test is to be performed on said software item.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said alteration to said test;

accepting said alteration to said test; and

resuming said test comprising said alteration.

7. A method of software item testing, said method comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface for scheduling a test of a software item, said graphical user interface comprising a test name field, test time initiation selections and an electronic notification entry field;

receiving, via said graphical user interface, specified information regarding conduct of said test, said specified information comprising said name of said test, a prescheduled test time for initiating said test, a recurrence interval for executing said test, and an electronic notification location for sending results of said test;

initiating said test of said software item at said prescheduled test time;

in response to occurrence of an error condition during said test, pausing said test within a computing environment in which said test is being conducted while maintaining said test in an active state without terminating said test and allowing for an alteration to said test;

electronically sending a report of said error condition to a specified electronic notification location while said test is paused;

maintaining said test in said active state while paused for a pre-specified period of time to permit for receiving said alteration to said test; and

in response to completion of said test, sending results of said test to a specified electronic notification location.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

initiating said test on a recurring basis after said prescheduled test time in accordance with said recurrence interval.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said initiating said test of said software item at said prescheduled test time comprises:

initiating said test in accordance with direction from a task scheduler.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said initiating said test of said software item at said prescheduled test time further comprises:

initiating said test within a preselected computing environment at said prescheduled time.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said initiating said test of said software item at said prescheduled test time further comprises:

initiating said test within a plurality of preselected computing environments at said prescheduled time.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said pausing said test within a computing environment in which said test is being conducted comprises:

maintaining all prior testing information up to the occurrence of said error condition.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said pausing said test within a computing environment in which said test is being conducted comprises:

maintaining said test in an active state within a cloud computing environment in which said test is running.

17. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

receiving said alteration to said test;

accepting said alteration to said test; and

resuming said test comprising said alteration.

14. A software item testing computer environment, comprising:

a testing framework comprising;

framework layer to perform a test on a software item;

a custom action layer;

at least one fixture layer to communicate with said framework layer and said custom action layer; and

a test layer to communicate with said custom action layer; and

a task scheduler configured to receive scheduling information regarding conduct of said test of said software item using said test implemented by said testing framework, said scheduling information received at a graphical user interface for scheduling the test of the software item, said scheduling information comprising a test time for initiating said test and a recurrence interval for executing said test.

15. The computing environment of claim 14, wherein said scheduling information comprises a selection of computing environments within which said software item is to be tested.