Transferring Application Software Between Virtual Machines

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

• verifying an application testing tool using a tool qualifier module running on a first virtual computer system to qualify the application testing tool,
• wherein the first virtual computer system has a first configuration that comprises a first processor of a first processor type;
• a first operating system of a first operating type running on the first processor of the first processor type;
• a first virtual machine emulating a second processor of a second processor type and running on the first processor of the first processor type;
• and a second operating system of a second operating type running on the first virtual machine;
• establishing a benchmark performance for the first virtual machine;
• verifying a second virtual machine in a second virtual computer system using a qualifier module to determine whether a performance of the second virtual machine is consistent with the benchmark performance of the first virtual machine within selected tolerances to thereby form a qualified second virtual machine,
• wherein the second virtual computer system has a second configuration that comprises a third processor of a third processor type;
• a third operating system of a third operating type running on the third processor of the third processor type;
• the second virtual machine emulating the second processor of the second processor type and running on the third processor of the third processor type;
• and a fourth operating system of the second operating type running on the second virtual machine;
• and
• transferring the application testing tool after the application testing tool has been qualified from the first virtual machine on the first virtual computer system to the qualified second virtual machine on the second virtual computer system, wherein using the application testing tool on the second virtual computer system to test an application program that is to be installed on the hardware platform does not require requalifying the application testing tool.

A method for testing application software for installation on an aircraft hardware platform using virtual computer systems, the method comprising:

• verifying an application testing tool using a tool qualifier module running on a first virtual computer system to qualify the application testing tool,
• wherein the first virtual computer system has a first configuration that comprises a first processor of a first processor type;
• a first operating system of a first operating type running on the first processor of the first processor type;
• a first virtual machine emulating a second processor of a second processor type and running on the first processor of the first processor type;
• and a second operating system of a second operating type running on the first virtual machine;
• establishing a benchmark performance for the first virtual machine;
• verifying a second virtual machine in a second virtual computer system using a qualifier module to determine whether a performance of the second virtual machine is consistent with the benchmark performance of the first virtual machine within selected tolerances to thereby form a qualified second virtual machine,
• wherein the second virtual computer system has a second configuration that comprises a third processor of a third processor type;
• a third operating system of a third operating type running on the third processor of the third processor type;
• the second virtual machine emulating the second processor of the second processor type and running on the third processor of the third processor type;
• and a fourth operating system of the second operating type running on the second virtual machine;
• transferring the application testing tool after the application testing tool has been qualified from the first virtual machine on the first virtual computer system to the qualified second virtual machine on the second virtual computer system, wherein using the application testing tool on the second virtual computer system to test an application program that is to be installed on the aircraft hardware platform does not require requalifying the application testing tool;
• testing the application program for installation on the aircraft hardware platform using the application testing tool running on the second virtual computer system to determine whether the application program is certifiable without requalifying the application testing tool for use on the second virtual computer system;
• and
• installing the application program on the aircraft hardware platform in response to a determination that the application program is certifiable.