Method and system for comparing different versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems

• US 9,459,987 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Weaver, Brett, Godinez, Javier, Brinkley, Capen, Bishop, Thomas, Lietz, M. Shannon, Cabrera, Luis Felipe
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEHNI, GHAZAL B
• Application Number:
  US14/966,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3608 using formal methods, e.g. model checking, abstract interpretation theorem proving G06N5/013
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures

Abstract

An application is implemented in the production environment in which the application will be used. Two or more backend systems are used to implement different versions of the application using the production environment in which the application will actually be used and accessed. Actual user data is received. A first portion of the actual user data is routed and processed in the production environment using a first version of the application and a first backend system of the two or more backend systems. A second portion of the actual user data is also routed and processed in the production environment but using a second version of the application and a second backend system of the two or more backend systems. The results data is then analyzed to evaluate the various versions of the application in the production environment.

Claims

1. A system for comparing two versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by any set of the one or more processors, perform a process for comparing two versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems including;

implementing a first version of an application in a production environment;

implementing a second version of an application in the production environment, the second version differing from the first version;

providing two or more backend systems associated with the respective implementations of the first and second versions of the application in the production environment;

receiving actual user data of a plurality of users;

determining a first portion of the actual user data based on one or more routing factors, the first portion including a subset of the received actual user data, the first portion including actual user data of a first group of users;

routing the first portion of the actual user data to be processed by the first version of the application using a first backend system of the two or more backend systems;

determining a second portion of the actual user data based on one or more routing factors, wherein the second portion of the actual user data is distinct from the first portion of the actual user data, the second portion including a subset of the received actual user data, the second portion including actual user data of a second group of users;

routing the second portion to be processed by the second version of the application using a second backend system of the two or more backend systems;

processing the first portion using the first version of the application in the production environment and the first backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the first portion into first portion of actual users'"'"' results data;

processing the second portion using the second version of the application in the production environment and the second backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the second portion into second portion of actual users'"'"' results data; and

analyzing the first portion of actual users results data and the second portion of actual users results data to evaluate the production environment and/or operation of the first and second versions of the application in the production environment.

2. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 1 wherein the production environment includes one or more production environment components selected from the group of production environment components consisting of:

one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more computing systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more hypervisors used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications channels used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more firewalls used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more routers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications endpoint proxy systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more access control systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more load balancers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more databases used to implement the application in the production environment; and

one or more services used to implement the application in the production environment.

3. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment is a cloud-based computing environment.

4. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment is selected from the group of the virtual assets consisting of:

a virtual machine;

a virtual server;

a database or data store;

an instance in a cloud environment;

a cloud environment access system;

part of a mobile device;

part of a remote sensor;

part of a server computing system; and

part of a desktop computing system.

5. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the first version of the application using the first backend system and the second portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the second version of the application using the second backend system by an A/B routing system.

6. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 5 wherein at least one of the first backend system and/or the second backend system is a backend server.

7. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.

8. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 7 wherein user feedback data is obtained and used to analyze the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.

9. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 1 wherein the one or more routing factors are selected from the group of routing factors consisting of:

an actual user type associated with the actual user data;

an actual user location associated with the actual user data;

an IP address associated with the actual user data;

header data included in the actual user data; and

a status of an actual user associated with the actual user data.

10. A system for comparing two versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems comprising:

a production environment;

a first version of an application implemented in the production environment;

a second version of the application implemented in the production environment, the second version differing from the first version;

two or more segregated backend systems associated with respective ones of the first and second versions of the application in the production environment;

actual user data of a plurality of users, the actual user data associated with the application implemented in the production environment;

an A/B routing system;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by any set of the one or more processors, perform a process for comparing two versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems including;

receiving the actual user data;

determining a first portion of the actual user data based on one or more routing factors, the first portion including a subset of the received actual user data, the first portion including actual user data of a first group of users;

routing the first portion of the actual user data to be processed by the first version of the application using a first backend system of the two or more backend systems;

determining a second portion of the actual user data based on one or more routing factors, the second portion of the actual user data originating from a second subset of users, wherein the second portion of the actual user data is distinct from the first portion of the actual user data, the second portion including a subset of the received actual user data, the second portion including actual user data of a second group of users;

routing the second portion of the actual user data representing user data from a second group of users to be processed by the second version of the application using a second backend system of the two or more backend systems;

processing the first portion using the first version of the application in the production environment and the first backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the first portion into first portion of actual users'"'"' results data;

processing the second portion using the second version of the application in the production environment and the second backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the second portion into second portion of actual users'"'"' results data; and

analyzing the first and second portions of actual users'"'"' results data to evaluate the production environment and/or operation of the first and second versions of the application in the production environment.

11. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 10 wherein the production environment includes one or more production environment components selected from the group of production environment components consisting of:

one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more computing systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more hypervisors used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications channels used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more firewalls used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more routers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications endpoint proxy systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more access control systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more load balancers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more databases used to implement the application in the production environment; and

one or more services used to implement the application in the production environment.

12. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment is a cloud-based computing environment.

13. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment is selected from the group of the virtual assets consisting of:

a virtual machine;

a virtual server;

a database or data store;

an instance in a cloud environment;

a cloud environment access system;

part of a mobile device;

part of a remote sensor;

part of a server computing system; and

part of a desktop computing system.

14. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 10 wherein the first portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the first version of the application using the first backend system and the second portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the second version of the application using the second backend system by an A/B routing system.

15. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first backend system and/or the second backend system is a backend server.

16. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 10 further comprising:

analyzing the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.

17. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 16 wherein user feedback data is obtained and used to analyze the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.

18. The system for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 10 wherein the one or more routing factors are selected from the group of routing factors consisting of:

an actual user type associated with the actual user data;

an actual user location associated with the actual user data;

an IP address associated with the actual user data;

header data included in the actual user data; and

a status of an actual user associated with the actual user data.

19. A method for comparing two versions of a cloud based application in a production environment using segregated backend systems comprising:

implementing a first version of an application in the production environment;

implementing a second version of the application in the production environment, the second version differing from the first version;

providing two or more backend systems associated with the respective implementations of the first and second versions of the application in the production environment;

receiving actual user data of a plurality of users;

determining a first portion of the actual user data based on one or more routing factors, the first portion including a subset of the received actual user data, the first portion including actual user data of a first group of users;

routing the first portion to be processed by the first version of the application using a first backend system of the two or more backend systems;

determining a second portion based on one or more routing factors, wherein the second portion is distinct from the first portion of the actual user data;

routing the second portion to be processed by the second version of the application using a second backend system of the two or more backend systems;

processing the first portion using the first version of the application in the production environment and the first backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the first portion into first portion of actual users'"'"' results data;

processing the second portion using the second version of the application in the production environment and the second backend system of the two or more backend systems to transform the second portion into second portion of actual users'"'"' results data; and

analyzing first portion of actual users results data and the second portion of actual users results data to evaluate the production environment and/or operation of the second version of the application in the production environment.

20. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 19 wherein the production environment includes one or more production environment components selected from the group of production environment components consisting of:

one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more computing systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more hypervisors used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications channels used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more firewalls used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more routers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more communications endpoint proxy systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more access control systems used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more load balancers used to implement the application in the production environment;

one or more databases used to implement the application in the production environment; and

one or more services used to implement the application in the production environment.

21. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 20 wherein at least one of the one or more computing environments used to implement the application in the production environment is a cloud-based computing environment.

22. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 20 wherein at least one of the one or more virtual assets used to implement the application in the production environment is selected from the group of the virtual assets consisting of:

a virtual machine;

a virtual server;

a database or data store;

an instance in a cloud environment;

a cloud environment access system;

part of a mobile device;

part of a remote sensor;

part of a server computing system; and

part of a desktop computing system.

23. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 19 wherein the first portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the first version of the application using the first backend system and the second portion of the actual user data is routed to be processed by the second version of the application using the second backend system by an A/B routing system.

24. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 23 wherein at least one of the first backend system and/or the second backend system is a backend server.

25. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 23 wherein the one or more routing factors are selected from the group of routing factors consisting of:

an actual user type associated with the actual user data;

an actual user location associated with the actual user data;

an IP address associated with the actual user data;

header data included in the actual user data; and

a status of an actual user associated with the actual user data.

26. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 19 further comprising:

analyzing the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.

27. The method for comparing two versions of the cloud based application in the production environment using the segregated backend systems of claim 26 wherein user feedback data is obtained and used to analyze the first portion of actual users'"'"' results data and the second portion of actual users'"'"' results data to compare and evaluate a desirability of features of the first version of the application and/or a desirability of features of the second version of the application, as implemented in the production environment.