Automated Testing Environment Provisioning for Software Issue Diagnosis

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of modern software environments makes it difficult and time-consuming to create realistic testing environments for reproducing software issues, leading to inefficiencies and errors in software quality assurance, particularly when issues require escalation and diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

A system that automatically creates and configures testing environments by parsing service requests, using a management module to invoke sub-modules for setting up operating systems and software products within virtual machines, thereby reducing manual effort and subjective interpretation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual methods are used to create testing environments, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but time consumption and error rates increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of environment configurationVSAvoidtime to create testing environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation where the testing environment automatically provisions itself based on service request data. The infrastructure model autonomously parses configuration details, allocates virtual machine resources, and deploys the required software stack without manual intervention, thereby reducing both time consumption and human error while maintaining configuration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring infrastructure templates and resource allocation models before actual service requests occur. Standardized virtual machine images, software repositories, and environment configuration templates are prepared in advance, enabling rapid deployment when issues need to be reproduced, thus significantly reducing the time to create testing environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If comprehensive environment details are collected to ensure accurate reproduction, then reliability of issue reproduction improves, but complexity of the process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of issue reproductionVSAvoidcomplexity of environment setup process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the complex environment setup process into distinct modular components: service request parsing, configuration extraction, virtual machine provisioning, software deployment, and environment validation. Each module handles a specific aspect of the process independently, reducing overall complexity while ensuring comprehensive collection of necessary environment details for accurate issue reproduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary infrastructure model that acts as a mediator between the service request and the actual testing environment. This model automatically translates high-level service request information into detailed environment configuration parameters, managing the complexity of data collection and transformation while ensuring reliable reproduction of customer environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If repeated manual steps are performed for each new issue, then consistency is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistency of process executionVSAvoidspeed of issue diagnosis

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system leverages parameter changes by dynamically adjusting environment configuration parameters based on the specific service request and issue type. Rather than repeating fixed manual steps, the system automatically modifies provisioning parameters, software versions, and configuration settings according to the parsed service request data, maintaining consistency through standardized processes while adapting to specific issue requirements, thereby significantly improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9946632B1Self-service customer escalation infrastructure model

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A service request from a customer is received at a first computer system. The service request concerns an issue with an application that is installed in a second computer system of the customer. The service request includes a set of fields, and corresponding values inputted by the customer. The service request is parsed to identify the application, the operating system (OS) of the second computer system, and a configuration setting. Code modules automatically create and configure the testing environment so that the environment includes the application, the operating system, and configuration specified in the service request. A test case is then executed in the testing environment, and a notification is generated that includes a result of the executed test case.