Testing Application Programs Using a Virtual Machine

A method for testing application software for installation on a hardware platform using a virtual computer system, the method comprising:

• running a first operating system of a first operating type on a first processor of a first processor type in a physical computer system;
• running a virtual machine that emulates a second processor of a second processor type on the first processor of the first processor type in the physical computer system;
• running a second operating system of a second operating type on the virtual machine with the virtual machine running on the first processor of the first processor type in the physical computer system,
• wherein the first processor running the first operating system and the virtual machine running the second operating system together form the virtual computer system;
• and
• performing, by a tool qualifier module, a verification of an application testing tool on the virtual machine using tool qualification data to qualify the application testing tool before the application testing tool is run using the second operating system on the virtual machine to test an application program.

A virtual computer system comprising:

• a first processor of a first processor type in a physical computer system;
• a first operating system of a first operating type that is run on the first processor of the first processor type;
• a virtual machine that emulates a second processor of a second processor type, wherein the virtual machine is run on the first processor of the first processor type;
• a second operating system of a second operating type that is run on the virtual machine;
• an application testing tool that is hosted on the virtual machine to determine whether an application program is certifiable for installation on a hardware platform;
• and
• a tool qualifier module that is hosted on the virtual machine and that verifies the application testing tool using tool qualification data to qualify the application testing tool with respect to the virtual machine before the application testing tool is run on the virtual machine using the second operating system to test the application program.