Methods, systems, and computer readable media for utilizing abstracted user-defined data to conduct network protocol testing

1. A method for utilizing abstracted user-defined data to conduct network protocol testing, the method comprising:

receiving, by a test system abstraction (TSA) module from a device under test (DUT), a packet containing a command that is associated with a native protocol;

converting the command included in the received packet into a TSA protocol command;

processing the TSA protocol command at a TSA engine module that is provisioned with at least one instruction sequence enabling the TSA engine module to emulate a network test device; and

generating, by the TSA engine module, a TSA protocol command response in accordance with protocol behavior specified by the at least one instruction sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising converting, by the TSA module, the TSA protocol command response into a response command associated with the native protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is provisioned on the TSA engine module via the TSA module.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is used by the TSA engine to generate a network test application that establishes the protocol behavior.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the TSA engine module includes a state machine configured to execute the at least one instruction sequence.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the native protocol includes a communication protocol or an application protocol utilized by the DUT.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the TSA module utilizes a protocol library module to convert the received packet from the DUT into the TSA protocol command.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the TSA engine module is configured to process a second TSA protocol command that is converted from a second command associated with a second native protocol command from a second DUT in the same manner as the TSA protocol command, wherein the TSA protocol command is identical to the second TSA protocol command.

9. A system for utilizing abstracted user-defined data to conduct network protocol testing, the system comprising:

an test system abstraction (TSA) module configured to receive, from a device under test (DUT), a packet containing a command that is associated with a native protocol and to convert the command included in the received packet into a TSA protocol command; and

a TSA engine module configure to process the TSA protocol command that is provisioned with at least one instruction sequence enabling the TSA engine module to emulate a network test device and to generate a TSA protocol command response in accordance with protocol behavior specified by the at least one instruction sequence.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the TSA module is further configured to convert the TSA protocol command response into a response command associated with the native protocol.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is provisioned on the TSA engine module via the TSA module.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is used by the TSA engine to generate a network test application that establishes the protocol behavior.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the TSA engine module includes a state machine configured to execute the at least one instruction sequence.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the native protocol includes a communication protocol or an application protocol utilized by the DUT.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the TSA module is further configured to utilize a protocol library module to convert the received packet from the DUT into the TSA protocol command.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the TSA engine module is further configured to process a second TSA protocol command that is converted from a second command associated with a second native protocol command from a second DUT in the same manner as the TSA protocol command, wherein the TSA protocol command is identical to the second TSA protocol command.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving, by a test system abstraction (TSA) module from a SUT, a packet associated with a native protocol;

converting the received packet into a TSA protocol command;

processing the TSA protocol command at a TSA engine module that is provisioned with at least one instruction sequence enabling the TSA engine module to emulate a network test device; and

generating, by the TSA engine module, a TSA protocol command response in accordance with protocol behavior specified by the at least one instruction sequence.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is provisioned on the TSA engine module via the TSA module.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the at least one instruction sequence is used by the TSA engine to generate a network test application that establishes the protocol behavior.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the TSA engine module is configured to process a second TSA protocol command that is converted from a second command associated with a second native protocol command from a second DUT in the same manner as the TSA protocol command, wherein the TSA protocol command is identical to the second TSA protocol command.