Architecture for testing pervasive appliances

A system for testing appliances, wherein the appliances include an embedded processor and an appliance network address to communicate with remote systems over a network, comprising:

• first server program means, having a first network address, for receiving a test request indicating a test to perform and an appliance to test;
• means for loading a second server program having a second network address;
• second server program means for transmitting information on the test request to the appliance network address indicated in the test request and transmitting at least one test command to a third network address;
• means for loading a third server program to execute within the appliance embedded processor having the third network address in response to receiving information on the test request;
• and
• third server program means for executing each test command transmitted from the second server program and for returning test response data generated in response to executing each test command to the second network address for processing by the second server program.

An article of manufacture for testing appliances, wherein the appliances include an embedded processor and an appliance network address to communicate with remote systems over a network, the article of manufacture comprising computer usable media including at least one first server program, second server program, and third server program embedded therein that cause the appliance and at least one computer to perform:

• receiving a test request with the first server program having a first network address indicating a test to perform and an appliance to test;
• loading the second server program having a second network address;
• transmitting, with the second server program, information on the test request to the appliance network address indicated in the test request;
• loading the third server program to execute within the appliance embedded processor having a third network address in response to receiving information on the test request;
• transmitting, with the second server program, at least one test command to the third network address;
• executing, with the third server program, each test command transmitted from the second server program;
• and
• returning, with the third server program, test response data generated in response to executing each test command to the second network address for processing by the second server program.

A method for testing appliances, wherein each appliance includes an embedded processor and an appliance network address to communicate with remote systems over a network, comprising:

• storing a plurality of test cases on a test server remote from an appliance to be tested;
• accessing one of the test cases based on an identity of the appliance to be tested;
• downloading the test case to the appliance;
• and
• sending test response data generated during execution in the appliance of the downloaded portion of the test case to a system remote from the appliance.

A system for testing appliances, wherein each appliance includes an embedded processor and an appliance network address to communicate with remote systems over a network, comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of test cases on a test server remote from an appliance to be tested;
• means for accessing one of the test cases based on an identity of the appliance to be tested;
• means for downloading the test case to the appliance;
• and
• means for sending test response data generated during execution in the appliance of the downloaded portion of the test case to a system remote from the appliance.

An article of manufacture for testing appliances, wherein each appliance includes an embedded processor and an appliance network address to communicate with remote systems over a network, the article of manufacture comprising computer usable media including at least one computer program to perform:

• storing a plurality of test cases on a test server remote from an appliance to be tested;
• accessing one of the test cases based on an identity of the appliance to be tested;
• downloading the test case to the appliance;
• and
• sending test response data generated during execution in the appliance of the downloaded portion of the test case to a system remote from the appliance.