Environment Definition Files for Flexible Software Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Software Configuration Management (SCM) systems face challenges in environment management, particularly in transferring knowledge from developers to administrators, as important features are often lost during the knowledge transfer and are hard-coded, making the process tedious and inflexible.
Innovation Solution
An Environment Management System (EMS) with a processing engine that handles parsing and execution of commands in environment definition files, allowing users to declaratively specify the lifecycle of environments, including provisioning, initialization, and management, using XML structures for flexibility and customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If knowledge about environment configuration is transferred from developer to administrator, then environment management can be performed, but important features are lost and the process becomes tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the environment configuration knowledge by generating an environment definition file that captures the complete environment specification. This file serves as a persistent record that can be stored, transferred, and reused without losing important features, eliminating the need for manual knowledge transfer between developer and administrator.
Solution Approach 2:
The environment definition file acts as an intermediary between the developer's environment knowledge and the administrator's management needs. Instead of direct human-to-human knowledge transfer, the file serves as a structured medium that preserves all environment details including important features, making the transfer accurate and complete.
2Ease of manufacture
If environment configuration is hard coded into the system, then the system can manage environments, but the end user cannot readily change the configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the environment configuration from a static, hard-coded system into a dynamic, user-modifiable system. The environment definition file is designed to be editable by end users, allowing them to readily change configurations without modifying the underlying system code. This enables both system capability and user flexibility to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables end users to independently modify environment configurations by editing the environment definition file directly. Users can perform self-service configuration changes without requiring system administrator intervention or system recoding, thereby maintaining adaptability while preserving system functionality.
3Ease of operation
If manual knowledge transfer process is used, then environment management is achieved, but the process is tedious and inflexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual, mechanical process of knowledge transfer with an automated file-based system. Instead of relying on human communication and documentation, the system automatically generates and processes environment definition files, eliminating the tedious manual steps and reducing the time required for environment management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of knowledge transfer from human-to-human communication to machine-to-machine file processing. This parameter change transforms the process from being time-consuming and manual to being rapid and automated, while maintaining ease of operation through standardized file formats.
Data Source
AI summary
An Environment Management System (EMS) provides on-demand instances of environments for testing hardware and/or software configurations. In various embodiments, the EMS includes a processing engine that handles parsing and execution of commands in a definition file that express the lifecycle of a testing environment. Accordingly, the EMS provides flexibility to end users in the way that environments are configured and deployed. An environment definition file is provided that may contain a standard set of scripts for implementing the lifecycle of the environment, along with any custom logic specific to a user or customer.