Upgrade Verification Tool for Software Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing regression testing methods for software upgrades are inefficient and prone to errors, particularly in cloud-based enterprise applications, as they lack accurate and consistent mechanisms for detecting issues, are complex, and costly to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A method that compares pre-upgrade and post-upgrade software systems by gathering output data items and performing consistency validation checks using plugins, allowing for simultaneous testing and storing results, which includes accepting user input to identify and analyze data items and employing plugins for comparison tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual testing methods are used to verify software upgrades, then testing can be performed with simple tools, but the process becomes prohibitively error-prone, time-consuming, and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing processes with an automated computer-based system that uses software agents to perform regression testing. The system automatically executes test cases, compares pre-upgrade and post-upgrade system states, and generates validation reports, eliminating the need for manual testing while improving both accuracy and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system performs self-validation by automatically comparing system states before and after upgrades without requiring external manual intervention. The software agents autonomously execute test cases, analyze results, and determine whether upgrades introduced regressions, enabling the system to validate itself.
2Productivity
If existing regression testing software is used, then some automation is achieved, but the software lacks accurate and consistent mechanisms for detecting issues and becomes complex and costly to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system is divided into distinct modular components including software agents, test case repositories, comparison engines, and reporting modules. Each component performs a specific function and can be independently maintained, reducing overall system complexity while preserving automation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a comparison engine as an intermediary that systematically compares pre-upgrade and post-upgrade system states. This mediator component handles the complex analysis work, providing consistent and accurate detection of regressions while simplifying the user interface and reducing the apparent complexity for end users.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method facilitates verifying behaviors, functionality, and user interface display screens of a post-upgrade software system by comparing output thereof with a pre-upgrade software system. The example method includes accepting a first signal from a user input device to identify, at least in part, a first set of pre-upgrade output data items from the pre-upgrade software system; accepting a second signal from a user input device to identify, at least in part, a second set of corresponding post-upgrade output data items from the post-upgrade software system; and performing a consistency validation check between corresponding output data items in the first set and the second set. Accordingly, output data items in an upgraded system are readily validated against a pre-upgrade system. Plugins, as part of an upgrade verification tool, may implement specific tests. This enables enterprise software customers to automate their on-premise upgrade validation processes and to choose tests.