Automated Testing Platform Orchestrating Synchronized Multi-Facility Jobs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of modern data communication environments, with diverse devices, services, and communication protocols, makes performance evaluations and comparisons of technological devices and services challenging.
Innovation Solution
An automated testing platform is developed, which includes a testing cloud application, a test facility, an application program interface, a transport orchestrator, and a data processor. This platform enables the synchronization of test elements across multiple test facilities, allowing for efficient and synchronized testing of devices or services, even when facilities are periodically offline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual performance evaluation methods are used for devices and services in complex data communication environments, then flexibility in testing different devices and protocols is maintained, but the complexity of managing diverse devices, services, and communication protocols increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated testing platform as an intermediary system between test administrators and diverse devices/services. The platform includes a job file parser that standardizes test configurations, a test facility manager that coordinates multiple test elements, and a report generator that consolidates results. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of managing diverse communication protocols and devices, allowing flexible testing without direct manual management of each device's complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system is segmented into distinct functional modules: job file processing, test facility management, synchronized test execution, and report generation. Each module handles specific aspects of the testing process independently, reducing overall system complexity. The job file is divided into test elements that can be executed separately and synchronized by the test facility manager, allowing complex tests to be managed through modular components rather than monolithic control.
2Reliability
If synchronized testing across multiple test facilities is implemented, then test accuracy and reliability are improved, but the requirement for continuous connection between facilities and orchestrator increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring test jobs in job files with all necessary parameters and test element definitions before execution. Test facilities receive and cache job configurations in advance, allowing them to execute synchronized tests even when temporarily disconnected from the orchestrator. The job file parser pre-processes test definitions into executable formats, ensuring test accuracy is maintained without requiring continuous connection management during execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The orchestrator creates copies of job configurations and distributes them to multiple test facilities. Each facility receives a complete copy of the test parameters and execution instructions, allowing independent execution while maintaining synchronization. This copying mechanism eliminates the need for continuous real-time connection during test execution, as facilities operate from cached copies of the job definitions, reducing connection management complexity while preserving test reliability.
3Measurement precision
If repeated quality assurance testing and integration tests are performed to collect comprehensive data, then data quality and completeness are improved, but the time and resources required for testing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous execution of test jobs across multiple facilities without interruption. The orchestrator manages a queue of test jobs that are continuously processed by available test facilities, eliminating idle time between tests. Test facilities can execute multiple test elements in sequence based on job file definitions, maintaining continuous useful action rather than stopping between individual tests, thereby improving data quality without proportionally increasing total testing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows execution of multiple test elements and repeated testing of critical functions to ensure data quality. Job files can define excessive test coverage including redundant verification of key performance indicators and multiple integration test scenarios. This partial or excessive action ensures comprehensive data collection and high measurement precision, with the orchestrator managing the increased test volume across multiple facilities to mitigate time loss through parallel execution.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating an automated testing platform includes providing a testing cloud application running on the automated testing platform; providing a test facility; receiving, by the testing cloud application, a job file of a test; connecting the test facility to the testing cloud application; publishing job data prescribed in the job file of the test to the test facility, wherein the job data configures the test facility to perform at least one test of a device or service under test and synchronizes a plurality of elements of the test; receiving, by the testing cloud application, result data from the test facility, which has performed at least one of the plurality of elements of the test; and generating a report of the result data.