International Business Machines Corporation

Ryan Thomas Rawlins

Andrew C M Hicks

Dale E Blue

Andrew C Hicks

Christopher V Derobertis

Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan

Kevin Minerley

Deborah A Furman

Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi

Steven M Partlow

Michael E Gildein

Brian Mo

Michael Terrence Cohoon

Rachel Brill

Jacob Thomas Snyder

Eitan D Farchi

John S Werner

Arkadiy O Tsfasman

Pasquale A Catalano

A method, computer system, and a computer program product are provided for operating a primary and a backup RAID storage array. A disk drive configuration is loaded into a disk controller in a primary RAID array and a disk controller in a backup RAID array. The disk drive configuration includes a schedule for a sequence of selectively power cycling the disk drives, which is executed by the disk controller in the primary and in the backup RAID arrays. Upon detecting a disk failure, each disk controller executes a recovery procedure according to instructions included in the disk drive configuration. Recovery procedure includes suspending power cycling all disk drives and powering on all intentionally powered off disk drives. Data is copied from the corresponding backup RAID array disk drive to primary RAID array to rebuild the failed drive. The RAID configuration remains in this state until failed disk drive is repaired.

Sustainable redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID)

Techniques for testing and fault detection are disclosed. These techniques include generating a set of test cases for a system under test (SUT), the set of test cases based on attribute-value pairs modeled as input to the SUT. The techniques further include augmenting the set of test cases. This includes locating a missing counterpart for a first combination of values in a first test case in the set of test cases, based on identifying a number of instances of the first combination of values in the set of test cases, generating a new test case based on modifying the first test case to act as the missing counterpart, and adding the new test case to the set of test cases. The techniques further include identifying a fault for the SUT based on executing the augmented set of test cases.

Self diagnosing test suite using a double pair-wise combinatorial test solution

Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (S) is computed based on the binary execution results. in response to a success rate of an attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, a subset of testcases that use the attribute-value pair is identified. Further, sets of code paths for the subset of testcases are identified, each set of code path respectively corresponding to a testcase from the subset of testcases. Further, an intersection of the sets of code paths is determined. Code paths of the SUT that are in the intersection, are highlighted to represent a soft failure with the SUT.

System testing infrastructure with hidden variable, hidden attribute, and hidden value detection

A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked and a controller. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource and is configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication.

Management of securable computing resources

A computer-implemented method for test case priority selection includes initiating execution of a set of test cases associated with a system under test. Further, the set of test cases are executed according to a first order of execution, and during the execution, at runtime a failing test case, from the set of test cases is determined. Further, at runtime, from the set of test cases, a subset of test cases that are not yet executed is identified. Further, at runtime, a priority value is assigned to each test case from the subset of test cases, the priority value based on a similarity of the test case with the failing test case. Further, at runtime, the set of test cases is reorganized to execute the subset of test cases in a second order of execution based on priority values that are assigned.

Real time fault localization using combinatorial test design techniques and test case priority selection

A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment to identify cause of a soft failure includes recording a first difference vector by executing a set of test cases on a baseline system and monitoring performance parameters of the baseline system before and after executing the test cases. Each performance record represents differences in the performance parameters of the baseline system from before and after the execution of a corresponding test case. The method further includes, similarly, recording a second difference vector by executing the test cases on the SUT and monitoring performance parameters of the SUT before and after executing the test cases. The method further includes identifying an outlier performance record from the second difference vector by comparing the difference vectors and further, determining a root cause of the soft failure by analyzing a test case corresponding to the outlier.

Stress test impact isolation and mapping

A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes receiving, by a testing system, a code path of the SUT that causes a soft failure in the active environment. The soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least on a parameter of the active environment. The method further includes generating, by the testing system, multiple tests for testing the SUT, the tests generated based on a coverage model of the SUT, wherein the coverage model uses several attributes. The method further includes selecting, by the testing system, from the generated tests, a set of tests that are associated with the code path. The method further includes executing, by the testing system, only the set of tests that are selected on the SUT to analyze a cause of the soft failure.

System testing infrastructure for analyzing and preventing soft failure in active environment

A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes executing, by the testing system, on the SUT, a test from a set of tests. The method further includes, monitoring a first execution time to complete the test on the SUT in the active environment. Based on the first execution time being different than a second execution time of the test, marking, by the testing system, a code path associated with the test. The second execution time is a duration to complete execution of the test on the SUT in a clean execution environment. The method further includes communicating, by the testing system, the code path for analyzing a soft failure of the SUT in the active environment, wherein the soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least on a parameter of the active environment.

System testing infrastructure for detecting soft failure in active environment

A system is provided. The system includes a computing resource, a cable insertable into the computing resource, a locking element and a controller. The locking element is configured to assume a locked condition in which the cable is locked to the computing resource or prevented from insertion into the computing resource and an unlocked condition in which the cable is removable from the computing resource and permitted to be inserted into the computing resource. The controller is configured to define rules for users. The rules are associated with respective identifiers (IDs) of each of the users and establish criteria associated with each user for causing the locking element to assume one of the locked and unlocked conditions.

Techniques for runtime metrics based test ordering in a computer system are described herein. An aspect includes determining a first runtime metric associated with a first module based on the execution of a first test case. Another aspect includes determining a second runtime metric associated with a second module based on the execution of a second test case. Another aspect includes comparing the first runtime metric and the second runtime metric. Another aspect includes determining an order of a plurality of test cases based on the comparison of the first runtime metric and the second runtime metric. Another aspect includes executing the plurality of test cases in the determined order.

Runtime metrics based test ordering

A method for identifying optimal tests includes defining functional coverage by a test suite based on a functional coverage model of a System Under Test (SUT). The test suite includes a plurality of tests. The functional coverage model includes a plurality of attributes, each attribute having a set of possible values. The functional coverage model defines possible combinations of values of the attributes as covered by the test suite. A subset of the possible combinations of values is determined. A subset of the plurality of tests is selected that is operative to cover the determined subset of the possible combinations of values. A plurality of trees is generated to represent the selected subset of tests. Complexity of the generated trees is analyzed based on user-specified criteria. An optimal tree is selected from the subset of the plurality of trees to achieve the objective of the test suite.

Customizable test set selection using code flow trees

Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (S) is computed based on the binary execution results. The method further includes outputting, to a user, in response to the success rate Sof the attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, an identification of one or more testcases that use the attribute-value pair, wherein the one or more testcases are to be used for diagnosing a soft failure associated with the SUT.

A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked, a controller and a physical authentication interface. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource and configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication. The physical authentication interface is configured to enable or disable a capability of the controller to perform the OS level authentication.

A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked, a first controller, which is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource, and a common interface to which the first controller and additional controllers, which are independent from the first controller and one another, are tied. The first controller is configured to authenticate the users and to perform operating system (OS) level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and an authentication of the users by the common interface.

Growing community of inventors

New Paltz, NY, United States of America

Ryan Thomas Rawlins