In-Place Application Upgrades Using Embedded Automated Tests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software application update processes are error-prone and prone to unintended incompatibilities in production environments due to the lack of accurate validation, especially in service-based and microservice architectures, leading to unanticipated errors and additional development time.
Innovation Solution
In-place updating of software applications using automated tests integrated within the application, allowing validation and deployment without recompiling, ensuring compatibility and functionality in the production environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional software update processes are used, then deployment can be completed, but errors and incompatibilities occur in production environments due to lack of accurate validation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds automated tests within the application code itself, allowing validation to be performed preliminarily during the update process before full deployment. This preliminary validation action ensures compatibility issues are detected early, preventing errors in production while maintaining efficient update cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The application performs self-validation through integrated automated tests that execute automatically during the update process. This self-service mechanism validates updates without requiring external manual testing, ensuring reliability while reducing development time by eliminating separate validation phases.
2Reliability
If manual validation processes are used, then updates can be deployed, but unanticipated errors occur due to insufficient testing
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automated self-validation through embedded tests that execute automatically during updates. This eliminates the need for manual validation while preventing errors, thereby maintaining high update speed without sacrificing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated tests provide immediate feedback on update compatibility and functionality. This feedback mechanism detects errors early in the process, preventing unanticipated production errors while maintaining fast update cycles through automated rather than manual validation.
3Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive testing is performed before deployment, then compatibility is ensured, but development time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the testing process with the deployment process by embedding automated tests within the application code. This combination allows compatibility validation to occur during deployment rather than as a separate preceding phase, ensuring accuracy without extending overall deployment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated validation process runs continuously during the update deployment without interruption. This continuous action ensures compatibility is verified throughout the process while maintaining efficient deployment timing, as validation and deployment occur in an integrated continuous flow rather than sequential discrete phases.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides new and innovative systems and methods for in-place upgrades of applications. In an example, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining source code, obtaining automated tests, generating a software application based on the source code, the software application validated based on the automated tests and the software application includes the automated tests, deploying the software application to a production environment, obtaining update data, generating an updated application based on the update data, automatically validating the updated application based on the automated tests included in the software application, and deploying, based on the automatic validation, the updated application to the production environment.