Integrated testing mechanism for industrial process control and automation systems

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor configured to execute instructions for a test system integrated within an industrial process control and automation system, the at least one processor configured to:
• receive information defining multiple functional configurations associated with the control and automation system, the functional configurations identifying operations to be performed by the control and automation system, wherein each functional configuration comprises one or more functional configuration objects;
• receive information defining multiple tests to be performed on the control and automation system;
• and
• execute the tests while accessing data from both the test system and the control and automation system;
• detect one or more changes to at least one functional configuration object of at least one of the functional configurations;
• re-execute any test referencing a changed functional configuration object;
• and
• maintain as valid prior test results any test that does not reference a changed functional configuration object.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• receive information defining multiple functional configurations associated with an industrial process control and automation system, the functional configurations identifying operations to be performed by the control and automation system, wherein each functional configuration comprises one or more functional configuration objects;
• receive, at a test system integrated in the control and automation system, information defining multiple tests to be performed on the control and automation system;
• and
• execute the tests using the test system, the test system accessing data from both the test system and the control and automation system;
• detect one or more changes to at least one functional configuration object of at least one of the functional configurations;
• re-execute any test referencing a changed functional configuration object;
• and
• maintain as valid prior test results any test that does not reference a changed functional configuration object.