Network testing system and method
AssigneeMCI Communications Corporation
InventorsScott A. Beeker, Cornelius J. Falvey, Mark P. Mullally
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A network testing system (50) includes a message compiler (52) accepting a plurality of data inputs (54) to create a test message (56). A communicator (58) is capable of transmitting the test message (56) to a component under test (60). The test message (56) is compliant with any of a plurality of protocols. The communicator (58) is also capable of emulating a communication session using an emulation module.
Claims36
A network testing system comprising:
- a message compiler accepting a plurality of data inputs to create a test message;
- and
- a communicator capable of transmitting the test message to a component under test compliant with any of a plurality of protocols and capable of emulating a communication session based on an emulation module.
A system for protocol translation and analysis comprising:
- a first component under test transmitting a message with a first format;
- a communicator having a first instance receiving the message using the first protocol;
- a message disassembler converting the message to a second format to form an intermediate message;
- a message compiler converting the intermediate message to a third format to form a second message;
- a second instance of the communicator transmitting the second message using a second protocol;
- and
- a second component under test receiving the second message using the third protocol.
A method of testing a network component, comprising the steps of:
- (a) creating a tree definition file;
- (b) creating a message instance file;
- (c) compiling the message instance file and the tree definition file to create a machine readable file;
- (d) selecting a protocol;
- and
- (e) transmitting the machine readable file to a component under test compliant with the protocol.
A method of protocol conversion comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving at a communicator a first machine readable message from a first component under test, the first machine readable message compliant with a first protocol;
- (b) disassembling the first machine readable message to form a first human readable file;
- (c) compiling the first human readable file into a second machine readable file that is compliant with the second protocol;
- and
- (d) transmitting the second machine readable file using the second protocol to a second component under test.
A network testing system comprising:
- a message compiler accepting input from a tree definition file, and a message instance file to create a machine readable test message;
- a communicator transmitting the machine readable test message in one of a plurality of communication protocols to a component under test, the communicator emulating a communication session with the component under test using an emulation module, the communicator receiving a second machine readable message from the component under test;
- a message disassembler converting the second machine readable message into a second human readable file using the tree definition file and a tree logic file;
- and
- a user interface capable of displaying the second human readable file.
A method of testing a network component, comprising the steps of:
- (a) creating a tree definition file;
- (b) creating a default values file;
- (c) creating a message instance file;
- (d) compiling the message instance file, the tree definition file and the default values file to form a first machine readable file;
- (e) storing a plurality of compilation messages in an output file;
- (f) creating an emulation module to emulate a communication session with a component under test;
- (g) initiating the communication session with the component under test;
- (h) sending the first machine readable file using a selected protocol to the component under test;
- (i) receiving a second machine readable file from the component under test;
- (j) comparing an expected machine readable file to the second machine readable file based on a logical comparator;
- (k) creating a tree logic file by analyzing the tree definition file;
- and
- (l) disassembling the second machine readable file using the tree definition file and the tree logic file, to form a second human readable file.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.