TEST AUTOMATION SYSTEM

A test automation system (FIG. 1) comprises storage and process components connected by file interfaces. BPLAN (103) creates and stores test descriptions in test information database (102). Tests are stored in test storage hierarchy (100). BSYNC (104) completes test descriptions in database (102) from contents of hierarchy (100). BQUERY (105) examines descriptions and selects tests for execution. TESTLOCS file (106) identifies selected tests. BQUERY (105) uses BBC (118) to communicate requests for tests and test descriptions to other systems. BBCMON (120) causes BQUERY (105) to satisfy requests and uses BBC (118) to communicate responses to requesting systems. BDLOAD (107) gathers tests identified by file (106) from hierarchy (100) into file (117) for downloading from host (10) to target (11) processor. BRUN (109) executes download tests, collects test results in files (110-112), and reports result summaries. BULOAD (113) assembles files (110-112) into file (114) for uploading to processor (10). BSTORE (115) stores uploaded results in results database (116). BQUERY (105) examines test results collected in database (116).