JPS62131341A - Computer test system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce man-hours required for test and to prevent a test operator from confusing due to an inadequate test result by testing the execution possibility of a test for each device generating a bit of secondary constitution information, and executing a test program based on the bit of information. CONSTITUTION:A test monitor and a bit of primary constitution information for a computer system are stored at a main storage device 1. When a peripheral control device 4 is selected as the object of the test, a command from a channel device 3 that is the host device of the peripheral control device 4 by the control of a central processing unit 2 is connected to the peripheral control device 4, and a specified value built in a register at the peripheral control device 4 is connected from the peripheral control device 4 to the main storage device 1, then being stored. When the value coincides with the specified value at the peripheral control device 4, it is possible to execute the test. Similarly, when the test for the execution possibility is performed based on the bit of primary constitution information and it is completed, the bit of secondary constitution information that is defined as possible to execute the test is generated at the main storage device 1, and the execution of the test program is performed based on the bit of information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a test method for a computer comprising a central processing unit, a main memory, a channel device, various devices, and the like. In particular, it relates to a method for automatically generating test configuration information required when conducting tests.

〔overview〕

In a computer testing method, the present invention performs a test for test executableness based on primary configuration information stored in a main storage device, and generates test-executable secondary configuration information according to the result. By conducting tests based on this, testing man-hours can be reduced and test operators can be prevented from being confused due to inappropriate test results.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in computer testing methods, a test target device is selected based on primary configuration information that describes the entire configuration of the computer system under test, and a corresponding test program is executed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in such conventional computer system testing methods, test programs are executed for devices that cannot be tested based on the primary configuration information and for devices located under the devices. This method has disadvantages of increasing man-hours and confusing test operators due to inappropriate test results.

Here, the term "devices that cannot be tested" means, in addition to unconnected devices, devices that have basic failures such as connection failures, power failures, and missing device components.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks by not executing a test program for devices that cannot be tested or devices located under the device, thereby reducing test man-hours and testing due to inappropriate test results. The purpose is to provide a computerized test method that can prevent operator confusion.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a method for storing primary configuration information defining devices constituting a computer system under test in a main storage device, and executing a test of the computer system based on this information. A feasibility test is performed to test the connection and operational status of each device tested, and based on the results of this feasibility test, secondary configuration information defined by the testable device is created, and the above test The method is characterized in that it is executed based on the secondary configuration information.

That is, the present invention provides a feasibility test means for testing the feasibility of testing various devices constituting the computer system under test based on the primary configuration information, and a secondary method that defines the feasibility of testing the various devices based on the test results. and generating means for generating configuration information into the main storage device. Here, the test feasibility test is a test that checks control information between devices in a connection relationship defined in the primary configuration information. Regarding the control relationship between devices, the device that performs control is tentatively referred to as a higher-level device and the device that is controlled as a lower-level device; however, a device may function as a higher-level device in some connection relationships and a lower-level device in other connection relationships. Sometimes it happens. First, read the defined value unique to this lower device built into the register of the lower device by the read command of the higher device, and if this value is once lost to the value unique to this lower device after being stored in the main memory, then this The lower-level device is determined to be a test-enabled device. If the values are different or if the read command is not completed normally, this lower-level device determines that the test cannot be executed. In an executable test, if a host device is a test-unable device, this test is not executed for devices that are subordinate to the test-unable device.

[Effect]

The feasibility test is performed based on the primary configuration information stored in the main memory. Based on this test result, secondary configuration information is generated for the test-enabled device. With this operation, the test program is not executed for devices that cannot be tested and devices located under the test, thereby reducing the number of testing steps and preventing confusion among test operators due to inappropriate test results.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, which is a block diagram of a computer testing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, first, the computer system under test is initialized, and the primary configuration information of the test monitor and computer device is stored in the main storage device 1.

Here, the feature of the present invention is the test feasibility test portion surrounded by a dashed line. That is, main storage device 1
is connected to the central processing unit 2, and information is read and read therefrom. The central processing unit 2 is connected to the peripheral control devices 4 to 6 via the channel device 3, and the peripheral control devices 4 to 6 are connected to the peripheral devices 7 to 13, respectively, so that information can be exchanged and processed. It will be done. now,
- As an example, select the peripheral control device 4 as the test object. Under the control of the central processing unit 2, commands from the channel device 3, which is a higher-level device of the peripheral control device 4, are connected to the peripheral control device 4, and specific values stored in the register of the peripheral control device 4 are transmitted from the peripheral control device 4. It is connected to and stored in the main storage device 1. If this value matches the specific value of the peripheral control device 4, the test can be executed. Similarly, secondary configuration information G
Based on this, an executable test is performed, and when the test is completed, secondary configuration information defining that the test is executable is generated in the main storage device. The test program is executed based on this secondary configuration information.

The operation of the test apparatus having such a configuration will be explained. Prior to this embodiment, the computer system under test is initialized, and a test monitor and primary configuration information of the computer device are stored in the main storage device 1.

This information first executes a test feasibility test based on the primary configuration information. First, the peripheral control device 4 is selected as the test target, and a value specific to the peripheral control device 4 is read by a read command from the channel device 3, which is a higher-level device of the peripheral control device 4, and stored in the main storage device l. Peripheral control device 4, which similarly performs this test on peripheral control device 5 and peripheral control device 6, which determines whether the test can be executed or not.
After completing this test for all of the peripheral control devices 7 to 6, a feasibility test is then performed for the peripheral control devices 7 to 13. In this case, the values specific to the peripheral devices 7 to 13 are read by the read command from the peripheral control devices 4 to 6. On the other hand, for example, if the peripheral control device 4 is a device that cannot be tested, this test is not performed on the peripheral devices 7.8, and only if the peripheral control devices 4 to 6 are testable devices,
This test is performed on 13. When all test feasibility tests based on the primary configuration information are completed by repeating the above steps, secondary configuration information defining test feasibility of various devices is generated in the main storage device 1 based on the results.

Next, a method of operating the secondary configuration information generated in this embodiment will be described for cases in which the test program uses a manual startup method and an automatic startup method. In the manual startup method, the test operator outputs the secondary configuration information stored in the main storage device 1 to the console, and starts the corresponding test program based on the secondary configuration information.

In the automatic startup method, test executable devices are selected based on the secondary configuration information stored in the output storage device 1, the corresponding test program is automatically started, and the test is performed on all test executable devices. After the completion of the test, the secondary configuration information is output to the console and the test operator is notified of the test executable status of each device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention is capable of testing the feasibility of testing each device to generate secondary configuration information, and executing the test based on this, before executing a test program in a test of a computer system. This has the excellent effect of reducing testing man-hours and preventing confusion among test operators due to inappropriate test results.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The figure is a block diagram of a computer testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Main storage device, 2... Central processing unit, 3...
Channel device, 4-6... Peripheral control device, 7-13.
...Peripheral devices.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a method in which primary configuration information defining the devices constituting the computer system under test is stored in the main memory and a test of the computer system is executed based on this information, A feasibility test is performed to test the connectivity and operational status of each device tested, and based on the results of this feasibility test, the second
A computer testing method characterized in that secondary configuration information is created and the test is executed based on this secondary configuration information.