System and method for automated patch compatibility of applications

An automated patch compatibility testing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more memories coupled to at least one of the processors;
• and
• a set of computer program instructions stored in at least one of the memories and executable by at least one of the processors to cause the automated patch compatibility testing system to perform actions of:
• creating, in a hypervisor, a testing image of a target computing system from an original image, wherein the one or more patches are installed on the original image to create the testing image;
• for each application in an application list, testing compatibility of the one or more patches with an application on the testing image, wherein the application list corresponds to applications installed on the target computing system to be tested for compatibility with patches applied to the testing image of the target computing system and wherein testing compatibility includes:
• creating a differencing disk on the testing image, wherein the differencing disk is a sub-disk of the testing image and the testing image is a parent disk of the differencing disk,
• installing one application from the application list on the differencing disk,
• conducting a performance functionality test of the installed application to obtain performance data,
• storing the performance data in a database associated with the target computing system,
• upon completion of the performance functionality test, destroying the differencing disk, wherein destruction of the differencing disk mitigates against the installed application interfering with subsequent performance functionality tests of different installed applications on the testing image;
• and
• upon completion of testing compatibility for all applications in the application list, generating a test results report, wherein the test results report provides an indication of compatibility of each tested application with the testing image, wherein the indication of compatibility is determined by whether the performance data meets compatibility thresholds, wherein compatibility thresholds are predefined and configurable in the automated patch compatibility testing system, wherein the test results report includes a comparison of performance data from one or more prior compatibility test results to current results from the compatibility test step and provide an indication of changes in performance of the target computing system before and after installation of patches on the original image.

A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising program code that, when executed by an automated patch compatibility testing system, causes the automated patch compatibility testing system to perform actions comprising:

• creating, in a hypervisor, a testing image of a target computing system from an original image, wherein the one or more patches are installed on the original image to create the testing image;
• for each application in an application list, testing compatibility of the one or more patches with an application on the testing image, wherein the application list corresponds to applications installed on the target computing system to be tested for compatibility with patches applied to the testing image of the target computing system and wherein testing compatibility includes:
• creating a differencing disk on the testing image, wherein the differencing disk is a sub-disk of the testing image and the testing image is a parent disk of the differencing disk,
• installing one application from the application list on the differencing disk,
• conducting a performance functionality test of the installed application to obtain performance data,
• storing the performance data in a database associated with the target computing system,
• upon completion of the performance functionality test, destroying the differencing disk, wherein destruction of the differencing disk mitigates against the installed application interfering with subsequent performance functionality tests of different installed applications on the testing image;
• and
• upon completion of testing compatibility for all applications in the application list, generating a test results report, wherein the test results report provides an indication of compatibility of each tested application with the testing image, wherein the indication of compatibility is determined by whether the performance data meets compatibility thresholds, wherein compatibility thresholds are predefined and configurable in the automated patch compatibility testing system, wherein the test results report includes a comparison of performance data from one or more prior compatibility test results to current results from the compatibility test step and provide an indication of changes in performance of the target computing system before and after installation of patches on the original image.