Application Layer Message Capture for Test Scenario Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing testing methods for computer hardware and software products face challenges in generating effective scale and mutation tests, particularly for complex applications like web applications, as they are computationally expensive and often require decryption of packet captures, which is inefficient and not feasible for encrypted communications.
Innovation Solution
Generating test scenarios from application-layer messages captured through a web browser using a converter tool, which processes and converts these messages into test scenarios without the need for decryption, focusing on deriving application state information and filtering irrelevant data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packet captures are used to generate test scenarios, then actual network traffic can be modeled, but computational overhead increases significantly due to decryption requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary application-layer message data from packet captures, specifically capturing messages at the application layer rather than processing entire packet captures. This extraction approach obtains sufficient information for test scenario generation while avoiding the computationally expensive decryption of lower-layer encrypted traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of capturing packets and then decrypting them to obtain application-layer information, the patent inverts the approach by directly capturing application-layer messages through browser extensions or plugins. This reversal eliminates the decryption step entirely while still obtaining the needed test data.
2Loss of information
If packet captures are used to derive application state information, then comprehensive testing data can be obtained, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential application state information directly from application-layer messages during capture, rather than processing entire packet captures later. This includes capturing relevant HTTP headers, message bodies, and session information directly, which reduces subsequent processing time while maintaining information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary capture and filtering of application-layer messages at the source (browser level) before the data needs to be processed for test generation. By pre-processing and structuring the data during capture, the system avoids time-consuming processing later when test scenarios need to be generated.
3Reliability
If encrypted packet captures are used for testing, then security of communications is maintained, but test generation becomes infeasible without decryption keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by capturing data at the application layer where messages are already in plaintext form, rather than capturing encrypted packets and attempting to decrypt them. This allows test generation to proceed without requiring decryption keys, while the actual communication security remains intact through proper encryption at the transport layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces browser extensions or plugins as intermediaries between the application and the network. These intermediaries capture application-layer messages in plaintext form without needing to decrypt lower-layer encrypted traffic, serving as a mediator that obtains test data without compromising security or requiring decryption keys.
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing packet capture-based testing methods are used, then testing can be performed on simple applications, but they cannot effectively handle complex applications like web applications with large data volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces browser extensions or plugins as intermediaries that capture application-layer messages directly from web browsers. This intermediary approach enables the system to handle complex web applications with large data volumes by capturing structured application-layer data rather than attempting to process raw packet captures, thereby increasing adaptability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data capture from network-layer packets to application-layer messages. This parameter change allows the system to effectively handle complex applications by capturing data at the appropriate layer where application-specific protocols and structures are visible, making the testing system adaptable to complex web applications without requiring excessive system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Various example embodiments are directed to computer-implemented systems and methods for generating tests. A computer system may execute an application host and a browser. Messages originating from the application host and messages directed to the application host may be routed through the browser. The browser may be programmed to capture a plurality of application-level messages, which may comprise a plurality of requests originating from an application host and a plurality of responses directed to the application host. The computer system may generate a test scenario based on the plurality of application-level messages.