System and method for providing resources to test platforms

A test system for testing a plurality of switches, said test system comprising:

• a plurality of resources, said resources being required for performing a test on at least one of the plurality of switches;
• a test platform for performing said test, said test platform sending a command requesting said resources;
• and
• a manager for receiving said command,
• said manager determining the availability of each of said resources in response to receiving said command,
• said manager allocating all of said resources to said test platform if all of said resources are available for allocation,
• said manager allocating none of said resources to said test platform if one or more of said resources are unavailable for allocation,
• wherein said test platform performs said test after being allocated all of said resources.

A method of testing a plurality of switches, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a plurality of resources that are required for performing a test by a test platform;
• sending a resource request command to a manager, wherein the resource request command indicates a request for the resources;
• determining in the manager whether each of the resources is available;
• allocating all of the resources to the test platform if all of the resources are available;
• allocating none of the resources to the test platform if one or more of the resources are unavailable, and sending a resource unavailable message to the test platform;
• performing the test using the resources if all of the resources are allocated;
• and
• releasing the resources after performing the test.

A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic embodied thereon for causing a computer to manage the allocation of a plurality of resources between a plurality of test platforms, the computer program logic comprising:

• first computer program code means for causing the computer to receive a command from a first test platform requesting the plurality of resources;
• second computer program code means for causing the computer to determine the availability of each of said resources in response to receiving said command;
• third computer program code means for causing the computer to allocate all of said resources to said first test platform if all of said resources are available for allocation;
• fourth computer program code means for causing the computer to allocate none of said resources to said first test platform if one or more of said resources are unavailable for allocation.