US 2008/0168425 A1Published application

Software testing techniques for stack-based environments

AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation

InventorsSiddhartha Sen, Amit Date

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Abstract

Techniques for testing software applications in stack-based computing environments are discussed. A tested application is executed at predetermined logical positions in a stack, such as at a layer of the OSI reference model. An expected result of an operation performed by the application is identified. A first set of computer-executable instructions is installed at a first position logically above the tested application, and a second set of computer-executable instructions is installed at a second position logically below the tested application. One or both sets of instructions simulate inputs to the application. The application is executed based on the simulated inputs, and one or both sets of instructions are used to compare outputs from the application with the expected result. Various, virtually unlimited tests can be performed on the software application without the use of extensive test infrastructure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for testing a software application, the software application executable at a predetermined logical position in a stack-based computing environment, the method comprising:

identifying an operation performed during execution of the software application;
identifying an expected result of the operation;
arranging for communication between the software application and a first set of computer-executable instructions at a first test position in the stack-based computing environment, the first test position logically above the predetermined logical position, the first set of computer-executable instructions executable to implement a first interaction with the software application;
arranging for communication between the software application and a second set of computer-executable instructions at a second test position in the stack-based computing environment, the second test position logically below the predetermined logical position, the second set of computer-executable instructions executable to implement a second interaction with the software application;
executing the software application to perform the operation using an input generated via execution of the first set of computer-executable instructions or the second set of computer-executable instructions;
identifying a test result of the operation via execution of the first set of computer-executable instructions or the second set of computer-executable instructions;
comparing the test result and the expected result;
and
based on the step of comparing, determining whether a failure of the software application occurred.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.