Restoring base configuration on software testing computer

Abstract

A method of testing computer software. A test computer has a base configuration, which is imaged to a removable hard drive. The base configuration is then stored in data storage of a master computer, as a master configuration image. The software is then tested on the test computer, and after the testing, a portable boot drive is used to acquire the master image and to restore the base configuration to the test computer.

1 . A method for testing software on a test computer having a base configuration, comprising the steps of: 
 storing the base configuration of the test computer on a portable boot drive of the test computer;    transferring the portable boot drive of the preceding step from the test computer to a master image computer;    creating a master image of the base configuration by copying an image from the portable boot drive to storage of the master image computer;    transferring the portable boot drive back to the test computer;    executing one or more tests on the test computer;    copying the master image of the base configuration onto a portable boot drive;    transferring the portable boot drive of the preceding step from the master computer to the test computer; and    booting the test computer from the portable boot drive, thereby restoring the test computer to the base configuration.    
     
     
         2 . A method of testing computer software on a test computer having a base configuration, comprising the steps of: 
 storing data representing the base configuration of the test computer on a portable boot drive of the test computer;    creating a master image of the base configuration by copying an image of the portable boot drive to storage of the master image computer;    testing the computer software on the test computer, using the base configuration;    copying the master image of the base configuration onto a portable boot drive;    transferring the portable boot drive of the preceding step from the master computer to the test computer; and    booting the test computer from the portable boot drive, thereby restoring the test computer to the base configuration.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the storing step is performed with the same portable boot drive as the transferring step.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the creating step is performed by transferring a portable boot drive from the test computer to the master computer.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the creating step is performed by communicating the image of the portable boot drive over a network from the test computer to the master computer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the testing step comprises installing new software onto the test computer.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of repeating the testing, transferring, and booting steps.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the copying step is performed prior to or during the testing step.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the copying step is repeated for a batch of portable boot drives.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the storing and creating steps are repeated for a number of base configurations of the test computer, and the copying step is performed by selecting one of the number of base configurations.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the testing step is performed by using software already part of the base configuration.  
     
     
         12 . A method of testing computer software, using one or more alternate base configurations of a test computer, comprising the steps of: 
 storing data representing one or more base configurations of the test computer on portable boot drives of the test computer;    creating a master image of each base configuration by copying an image of each portable boot drive to storage of the master image computer;    testing the computer software on the test computer, using one of the base configurations;    selecting a base configuration for subsequent testing of the test computer;    copying a master image of the selected base configuration onto a portable boot drive;    transferring the portable boot drive of the preceding step from the master computer to the test computer; and    booting the test computer from the portable boot drive, thereby configuring the test computer with the selected base configuration.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each base configuration represents a configuration for a different operating system of the test computer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the storing step is performed with the same portable boot drive as the transferring step.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the creating step is performed by transferring a portable boot drive from the test computer to the master computer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the creating step is performed by communicating the image of the portable boot drive over a network from the test computer to the master computer.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the testing step comprises installing new software onto the test computer.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of repeating the testing, transferring, and booting steps.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the copying step is performed prior to or during the testing step.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the testing step is performed by using software already part of the base configuration.