Abstract: Pairing information is used by the target application to determine how to connect to the correct controller. A network pipe is established between the target application and the controller. The network pipe is used to pass information, such as to deliver/receive test information, between the controller and target application. A bridge may also be established between the controller and an analysis tool for the device hosting the target application. The bridge creates a communication path for the controller to send/receive information (e.g. commands, queries) to the analysis tool s to perform tests of the target application. Code may also be injected into the target application such that dynamic linked libraries may be simulated. Crash data may also be obtained by the controller (or some other device) that may not be typically available by a particular device platform.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a computer-implemented method for identifying causes of application crashes. The method includes receiving crash reports from multiple computing devices resulting from a problem that occurs in an application in operation at the computing devices. The crash reports include sets of properties that describe system states of the computing devices where the problem occurred. The method further includes identifying similarities between one or more properties in the sets of properties from the crash reports. The method further includes identifying differences between one or more properties in the sets of properties from the crash reports. The method further includes identifying one or more candidates for a cause of the problem in the application based on a clustering of the similarities and the differences. The method further includes generating a report that includes the one or more candidates.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for debugging a computer program utilizing breakpoints triggered by accessing a rarely used or unused I/O port is provided. Rarely used or unused I/O ports are identified in a computer system and a debugger program is instructed to halt program execution when an access is made to one or more of the identified ports. An instruction for writing to one of the ports is then inserted in the program to be debugged. When the instruction is executed, the debugger program will cause the execution of the program to stop. When the breakpoint is no longer needed, the debugger program is instructed not to halt when an access is made to the I/O port.

Abstract: A particular system includes a processor and a network interface configured to send and receive messages via a network using an asynchronous computer communication protocol. The system may include two or more buffers, such as an ingress buffer and an egress buffer. The system may include a memory accessible to the processor. The memory may include first node instructions that are executable by the processor to implement one or more functions of a first node. The memory may also include one or more script callbacks. The script callbacks may be executable by the processor to at least one of provide: the first content to a test script to be modified before the first content is provided to the first node instructions from the ingress buffer, and provide the second content to the test script to be modified before the outgoing message is provided to the egress buffer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to error reporting methods and systems. An error reporting application may be configured to be a stand-alone program, embedded within another application, or added as a plug-in application. The error reporting application may also be configured to provide a mechanism for a user to describe a problem with another application and send the problem description to a configurable, user defined location. The error report from the error reporting application may then be processed by an error processing system at the user-defined location.

Abstract: A debug control system and method thereof which includes a debug device and a wireless communication module. The debug device is configured to communicate electrical data with a target device via a first signal transmission interface. The wireless communication module is configured to communicate electrical data with the debug device via a second communication interface, and is configured to communicate electrical data with a host device. Electrical data exchanged between the debug control system and the target device is configured to debug or update firmware residing on the target device.

Abstract: Server management data describes observed operating condition of a pool of spare servers. Based on a demand forecast of a specific target system, a dynamic allocation period is determined as a period during which the target system needs additional server resources to handle an expected demand. Based on the dynamic allocation period and server management data, a set of allocation candidates are nominated from the spare server pool, by eliminating therefrom spare servers which are likely to fail during the dynamic allocation period. An appropriate allocation candidate is then selected for allocation to the target system, such that the selected candidate will satisfy a specified requirement during its allocation period.

Abstract: A device detects and diagnoses correlated anomalies of a network. The device includes an anomaly detection module receiving a first data stream including an event-series related to the network. The anomaly detection module executes at least one algorithm to detect a potential anomaly in the event-series. The device further includes a correlating module receiving a second data stream including other event-series related to the network. The correlating module determines whether the potential anomaly is false and determines whether the potential anomaly is a true anomaly.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices and/or providing content. The method for use in remotely diagnosing includes the initiating a diagnostic analysis of an electronic device, identifying the electronic device, receiving scripts communicated over a distributed network for diagnosing, remotely initiating diagnostic instructions with the scripts and receiving a response based on the instruction. The method can further determine further diagnostic instructions based on responses, and remotely initiate further instructions with the scripts. Additionally, a system for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices includes a script generator coupled with a distributed network, and a remote diagnostic controller coupled with the distributed network and with an electronic device. The script generator compiles scripts and forwards them over the distributed network.

Abstract: A building manager includes a communications interface configured to receive information from a smart energy grid. The building manager further includes an integrated control layer configured to receive inputs from and to provide outputs to a plurality of building subsystems. The integrated control layer includes a plurality of control algorithm modules configured to process the inputs and to determine the outputs. The building manager further includes a fault detection and diagnostics layer configured to use statistical analysis on the inputs received from the integrated control layer to detect and diagnose faults. The building manager yet further includes a demand response layer configured to process the information received from the smart energy grid to determine adjustments to the plurality of control algorithms of the integrated control layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to host platform configuration for software testing and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for multi-platform test automation. In an embodiment of the invention, a multi-platform test automation data processing system can include a test automation controller enabled for coupling to multiple, different designated host computing platforms. Each of the different designated host computing platforms can host the execution of an application under test. The test automation controller can include a configuration for dispatching test commands to the different designated host computing platforms based upon provided test case documents, topology data and a general function file. In this way, tests can be constructed from a set of test commands without regard to the underlying details of different, target host computing platforms.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for testing a device. In some implementations, a request to perform a test instruction on one or more of a plurality of computing devices is received at a server. The test instruction may be configured to test an application or capability associated with the one or more computing devices. The test instruction may be written in accordance with a computer programming language capable of being translated into a plurality of different programming language instructions sets. A first computing device may be selected from the plurality of computing devices. The first computing device may be capable of performing instructions written in a first one of the computer programming language instruction sets. The test instruction may be transmitted to the first computing device via the network. A response message may be received from the first computing device.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for identifying undesirable features in a network of computers. During operation, the system detects an anomaly associated with a node in the network. Next, the system identifies one or more features which are associated with the anomaly. The system then updates the identified features. Next, the system communicates the information corresponding to updated features to at least one other node in the network. The system then receives information indicating a correlation between the updated features and the anomaly from at least one other node in the network. Next, the system correlates the updated features with the anomaly based on the received information. The system subsequently produces a result which indicates a correlation between the updated features and the anomaly.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing and correcting errors at a data processing system is disclosed includes detecting at a first device of the system, such as a network interface device, an error at a second device of the system, such as a data processor. In response to detecting the error, the first device communicates a help request via a network. In response to the help request, the first device receives diagnostic and error correction routines from a remote system. The first device executes the routines and provides information to the remote system to diagnose and correct errors at the second device.

Abstract: A way for securely protecting secret information—for example, a secret key—in a programmed electronic device is provided. A technique is disclosed for protecting secret information in a programmed electronic device that includes a non-trusted memory containing software, a data memory containing the secret information, and an access restriction logic unit that is adapted to allow or block access to the secret information wherein the secret information is adapted to be used for verifying the integrity of the software. In one embodiment, when starting up the programmed electronic device, the access restriction logic unit allows access to the secret information. Then the secret information is accessed for use in verifying the integrity of the software, and subsequently the access restriction logic unit blocks further access to the secret information. Embodiments of a semiconductor device and a programmed electronic device comprising similar features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computing device includes a processor, firmware, a hardware component, and a debugging module. The firmware stores error decoding logic particular to the computing device. The hardware component detects an error in the computing device, and responsively issues an interrupt and halts the processor such that the processor cannot execute any more computer-readable code. The debugging module loads the logic from the firmware at reset and executes the logic responsive to the interrupt. The debugging module does not use the processor to execute the logic, the firmware is not part of the debugging module, and the debugging module is not part of the hardware component. The firmware may also store a mapping between registers of the hardware component and field-replaceable hardware units of the computing device, which the debugging module loads at reset and uses when executing the error decoding logic to determine which unit has caused the error.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a remote debugging infrastructure may allow a local application 114 to be debugged in real time. A remote debugging operator 120 may establish a connection with an execution platform 112 via a local application 114 activated by the execution platform 112. The remote debugging operator 120 may access an operational state of the local application 114.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for controlling a fidelity of a simulation of a computer system. A model of the system is received that has a plurality of components. A representation of the plurality of individual components of the system is generated. A component is assigned to be a fidelity center having a highest possible associated fidelity value. Fidelity values are assigned to each other component in the plurality of individual components based on an affinity of the other component to the fidelity center. The system is simulated based on assigned fidelity values to the components in the plurality of individual components.

Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for determining whether to perform a static code analysis of a software product. In one embodiment of the method, the method for determining whether to perform a static code analysis depends on a number of variables including a developer's knowledge of the software product in question; a developer's knowledge of the language in which the software product is written: and the amount of time the developer has actually worked with the product. The individual and collective experience of members of a software development team may be determined to decide whether static code analysis needs to be performed on software written by the team.

Abstract: The testing of services techniques include a method, a system, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In some embodiments of these techniques, the method includes receiving a first payload generated by a first service. The first service transmits the first payload to a system. The method further includes receiving a second payload from a second service. The second payload is generated based on data received from the first service. The method further includes receiving a schema associated with the second payload. The schema is configured to define the structure of the second payload. The method further includes determining one or more discrepancies between the second payload and the first payload using the schema associated with the second payload. The method further includes determining a testing result based on the one or more discrepancies. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, system and/or computer program product handle problems caused by a modification to an information technology (IT) system. Problem-data, describing a known problem to a first IT system that occurred during a modification to the first IT system; severity-data, describing a severity of the known problem; and solution-data, describing a solution of steps to be taken to correct the known problem, are received and stored. A modification alert indicates that the modification will be applied to a second IT system that is different from the first IT system. If the first IT system and the second IT system share a pre-determined amount of common features, then a severity map, which describes the known problem, the severity of the known problem, and the solution to the known problem as applied to the second IT system, is displayed to a user of the second IT system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide for updating a firmware image during a debugging sequence using a firmware debugger application without re-flashing each updated firmware image on a non-volatile memory device. Embodiments include a debugger application operating on a host computer system and a debugger driver located within a firmware image undergoing the debugging sequence on a target computer system. The debugger application and debugger driver may communicate and transfer data between one another. Upon detecting an error in a firmware image, the debugger driver notifies the debugger application. The debugger application sends an updated firmware image to the debugger driver on the target computer system. The debugger driver loads the updated firmware image and passes control to an entry point of the updated firmware image for continued debugging from the new entry point.

Abstract: An analysis management system (AMS) is described that analyzes the in-field behavior of a program resource installed on a collection of computing devices, such as mobile telephone devices or the like. In operation, the AMS can instruct different devices to collect data regarding different observation points associated with the program resource, thus spreading the reporting load among the devices. Based on the data that is collected, the AMS can update a dependency graph that describes dependencies among the observation points associated with the program resource. The AMS can then generate new directives based on the updated dependency graph. The AMS can also use the dependency graph and the collected data to infer information regarding observation points that is not directly supplied by the collected data.

Abstract: Size of a software application testing project is determined, and person/hours required for the testing project is estimated. The software application is sized by counting the number of different parameter types that occur within testing activities associated with the application. The parameter type numbers are then divided by a scaling weight to arrive at a Testing Unit number, which is then divided by a Testing Unit rate, e.g., person hours associated with each testing unit, to arrive at an estimated testing project effort. Some embodiments include an uncertainty calculation that potentially increases testing time based on clarity of the project requirements, the tester familiarity with the application area and the tester familiarity with the domain. Some embodiments calculate separate testing project times for different phases of the testing project.

Abstract: A device detects and diagnoses correlated anomalies of a network. The device includes an anomaly detection module receiving a first data stream including an event-series related to the network. The anomaly detection module executes at least one algorithm to detect a potential anomaly in the event-series. The device further includes a correlating module receiving a second data stream including other event-series related to the network. The correlating module determines whether the potential anomaly is false and determines whether the potential anomaly is a true anomaly.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system determining the cause of serialization failures is described. A method may comprise, if a first object that has been serialized with all references to member fields by the first object removed passes deserialization, restoring, via at least one of a client electronic device and a server computer, a first reference to a first member field by the first object. The method may further comprise serializing, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, the first object with the restored first reference to the first member field. The method may also comprise, if the serialized first object with the restored first reference to the first member field fails deserialization, determining, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, that the first reference to the first member field by the first object causes the failure.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing fault tolerance against a failure occurring during driving robot software components includes: a component executor for executing the robot software components, which are assigned with one thread from an operating system and have a same priority and cycle, by using the assigned thread; and an executor monitor for periodically monitoring the operation of the component executor and determining whether or not there is a failure in the robot software components executed by the component executor. The apparatus further includes: an executor manager for generating the component executor which is assigned with the robot software components having the same priority and cycle and, when the executor monitor determines that there is a failure in the execution of the robot software components, generating a new component executor.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for debugging an application program from a workstation that is remote from a server on which the application program resides includes invoking the application program from the workstation via a network interface; displaying a user frame at the workstation that includes information generated by the application program; providing a debug view option at the workstation for generating a debug frame of the application program; and displaying the debug frame at the workstation when the debug view option is selected. A user can select options to switch between the user frame and the debug frame. The debug frame includes information about one or more components of the application program such as a list of the variables or objects, and the fields, methods, and/or the constructors associated with them.

Abstract: An architecture and techniques for implementing a unified and extensible meta-testing framework within a distributed environment. This framework allows entities within the distributed environment to run tests written in different testing frameworks in a unified way. In addition, this disclosure describes techniques for allowing an entity within the distributed environment to test itself, both from its own perspective as well as from the perspective of other entities within the distributed environment.

Abstract: A method for updating data includes, in a processor, receiving a data field update associated with an existing data object of a data class, modifying a data field of an updater data object of the data class based upon the data field update, traversing the updater data object to identify the modified data field, and modifying a data field of the existing data object based upon the identified data field of the updater data object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system method for automatically providing resolutions for abnormal end codes from a mainframe system. An abnormal end code for a mainframe computer system is received from a user. A storage device is accessed to determine if there is a resolution for the abnormal end code. If there is a resolution for the abnormal end code, the resolution is provided to the user. If there is not a resolution for the abnormal end code, it is determined what question should be asked of the user. The question and the answer to the question received for the abnormal end code help determine the correct resolution for the abnormal end code.

Abstract: Debugging operations on individual client sessions for a remotely executed shared application are enabled to be performed as the client requests are processed on the executing server without disrupting execution of other client sessions. A remote debugging client may connect to a debugging engine executed on the server allowing the debugging client to view source code, set breakpoints, view client connections, and receive callbacks or notifications when a breakpoint is hit by the client session being debugged. The debugging client may also control execution by stepping through client code enabling debugging of multiple clients simultaneously.

Abstract: A system and method for defining and detecting pestware is described. In one embodiment, a pestware file is received and at least a portion of the pestware file is placed into a processor-readable memory. A plurality of execution paths within code of the pestware file are followed and for each of a plurality of selected function calls within the execution paths of the pestware file, at least one parameter from each of the function calls is retrieved so as to obtain a plurality of parameters. A representation of each of the parameters is then stored in a processor-readable pestware-definition file, which is sent to a plurality of client devices.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for testing results of configuration management activity. In embodiments, a configuration management server can control and maintain the configuration state of one or more targets, hosts, servers, clients, or other machines in a managed. In aspects, a testing tool hosted on the configuration management server can verify the correct implementation of configuration instructions. In embodiments, the testing tool can access or receive an anticipated or target configuration state for one or more target(s) or other machines, indicating the status of services, memory, security, storage, and/or other configuration parameters after a selected configuration command is to be transmitted and run on the recipient machine. After the configuration change or update is performed, the test tool can receive results indicating the actual configuration state achieved after running the configuration management command(s), and compare those to the anticipated configuration state.

Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of self debugging a computer program operating in a distributed processing environment. The method includes detecting a fault in a plurality of processing devices and classifying the fault according to fault classifications. The fault classifications have corresponding responses. The method further includes executing one of the responses in accordance with the fault having been classified. The method further includes revising the computer program according to the response. This method may be embodied in a computer program or executed by a computer system. In this manner, the computer program performs self debugging.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for debugging a computer program utilizing breakpoints triggered by accessing a rarely used or unused I/O port is provided. Rarely used or unused I/O ports are identified in a computer system and a debugger program is instructed to halt program execution when an access is made to one or more of the identified ports. An instruction for writing to one of the ports is then inserted in the program to be debugged. When the instruction is executed, the debugger program will cause the execution of the program to stop. When the breakpoint is no longer needed, the debugger program is instructed not to halt when an access is made to the I/O port.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a debugging tool includes a processor and logic, that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: receive a Volume Table of Contents (VTOC)/INDEX data set for a first VTOC/INDEX data of a remote system, create second VTOC/INDEX data (which is a replicated version of the first VTOC/INDEX data of the remote system) from the VTOC/INDEX data set, execute a second scenario (which is a replicated version of a first scenario that was executed on the remote system using the first VTOC/INDEX data that caused the error) using the second VTOC/INDEX data to reproduce an error, and set up trace points in the second VTOC/INDEX data to start a debugging session while executing the second scenario using the second VTOC/INDEX data. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described according to various other embodiments.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media provide for updating a firmware image during a debugging sequence using a firmware debugger application without re-flashing each updated firmware image on a non-volatile memory device. Embodiments include a debugger application operating on a host computer system and a debugger driver located within a firmware image undergoing the debugging sequence on a target computer system. The debugger application and debugger driver may communicate and transfer data between one another. Upon detecting an error in a firmware image, the debugger driver notifies the debugger application. The debugger application sends an updated firmware image to the debugger driver on the target computer system. The debugger driver loads the updated firmware image and passes control to an entry point of the updated firmware image for continued debugging from the new entry point.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises determining a cluster leader and using the cluster leader to set up a lease table at an application server of a cluster of application servers. The lease table can be used to maintain at least one lease for a singleton service.

Abstract: Communication symmetry is leveraged to facilitate testing of network services. To identify, isolate, understand, and resolve problems a test client is employed. In accordance with one aspect, a service can be provided for execution on a service consumer while the test client resides on a service provider. Roles are reversed to provide more testing freedom on the provider side and less intrusion on the consumer side. Additionally or alternatively, a service and/or test client can be shipped to consumers to aid testing in a real execution environment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems of distributing information in a computer network related to a report a software anomaly that includes receiving information concerning the reported software anomaly (RSA); identifying a problematic functional characteristic included in the RSA; ascertaining from a plurality of computer-readable addresses a sub-group of the computer-readable addresses that correspond to parties with information corresponding to the problematic functional characteristic; storing on the computer network an investigation record having associated therewith data corresponding to the RSA; and transmitting to the sub-group a message perceivable by the parties indicating a location on the computer network of the investigation record.

Abstract: A method and system for debugging a computer upon a kernel hang and/or upon a software failure, the method comprising executing a debugger on a remote computer, connecting the hung or crashed computer to the remote computer with a communications link, and debugging the hung or crashed computer with the debugger without rebooting the system. The method may include deconfiguring any kernel driver of the computer attached to the communication card prior to connecting the remote debugger to the computer.

Abstract: Methods and systems for remotely debugging a software program are provided. The methods and systems make use of a debugger application executing on a host computer and configured to communicate with a debugger module executing on a target computer via a distributed computing network, such as the Internet.

Abstract: A diagnosis apparatus is disclosed that is able to promote productivity of a diagnosis of the target program which may be for an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a fax. The diagnosis apparatus uses a diagnosis program which acquires log information of a target program at runtime. The diagnosis program is sent to a situation where the diagnosis program is to be executed. Further, the diagnosis apparatus includes a memory unit configured to store correspondence data between the diagnosis program and program selection information, where the program selection information is used for selecting the diagnosis program. Also included is a selecting unit which selects the diagnosis program based on the correspondence data, a sending unit which sends the diagnosis program to the situation, and a receiving unit which receives the log information from the diagnosis program.

Abstract: A tracer object for tracing a user or process in a data processing system is provided. An application receives a tracer key containing a request for information to be traced. The received tracer key is checked against all tracer keys that the application has stored. If a match between two tracer keys is found, the stored tracer key maps the tracer key containing the request to the stored tracer key's associated tracer object and applies the conditions and modifiers contained in the tracer key containing the request to the tracer object. The tracer object then gathers the required information as requested.

Abstract: A computerized method, program product, and a service that allocates and isolates leaky memory during the execution of an application in a data processing system. A memory controller having several components first identifies a leaky section of memory and delegates to an allocation component to allocate more memory if possible. If, however, the problematic memory section should not be allocated more memory, an isolator component can isolate the memory section and further divide the memory section into subsections and so on. Each section and each subsection may then be tested to determine if more memory can be allocated, tested to determine if memory resources are strained so as to identify the application or its component causing the strain and then binding the memory. Each section and subsection and further divided and isolated until the leaky portion of memory is identified, and as a result, the software component causing the leak can also be identified.

Abstract: A generic testing framework to automatically allocate, install and verify a given version of a system under test, to exercise the system against a series of tests in a “hands-off” objective manner, and then to export information about the tests to one or more developer repositories (such as a query-able database, an email list, a developer web server, a source code version control system, a defect tracking system, or the like). The framework does not “care” or concern itself with the particular implementation language of the test as long as the test can issue directives via a command line or configuration file. During the automated testing of a given test suite having multiple tests, and after a particular test is run, the framework preferably generates an “image” of the system under test and makes that information available to developers, even while additional tests in the suite are being carried out.