Method of, and apparatus for, testing computer hardware and software

1. A method for generating an automated test configured, when executed, to test a system under test comprising one or more computer programs being executed on one or more computer devices, the system under test comprising a plurality of operational states and one or more executable actions, the method comprising the steps of:

a) utilising a model of the system under test, the model comprising a plurality of model states and one or more selectable model actions, wherein one or more of the model states are representative of operational states of the system under test and each model action is associated with one or more executable actions on the system under test; and

b) generating an automated test by:

c) selecting a sequence of model actions; and

d) defining, based on said selected sequence of model actions, an automated test configured, in use, to execute sequence of executable actions on the system under test, wherein the selection of one or more model actions in step c) is dependent upon the previous selection of model actions in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests, wherein a plurality of model actions are available in a current model state and the selection of a given model action in step c) is dependent upon the number of times that the given model action has been previously selected in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests relative to the number of times each of the one or more other available model actions in the current model state have been selected and wherein each model action is assigned a coverage parameter in dependence upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and one or more previous automated tests.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein in step c) each selection of a model action comprises selecting a model action from one or more available model actions in the current model state.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein step c) further comprises:

e) defining a current model state;

f) selecting, using the model, a model action from one or more model actions selectable in the current model state;

g) updating the model based on the selection of the model action;

h) repeating steps c) and d) to define a sequence of selected model actions.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the coverage parameter for each action is updated in step g).

5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein one or more model actions are further assigned a weight value, wherein the selection of a model action from a plurality of available model actions is dependent upon the weight value.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more model actions comprise at least one data parameter, wherein the or each data parameter comprises a variable to be input to an executable action of the system under test.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein a data parameter may comprise one or more of the following: one or more numerical value; a numerical range; a set; a character string; or a true/false variable.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein one or more data parameters may comprise a plurality of different values.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein a value of the data parameter is selected from a plurality of possible values when the respective model action is selected.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the value of the data parameter is selected based on one or more of: a random variable; a weighting; or a variable factor.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the variable factor for a given value is dependent upon the number of times the value has been previously selected in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more model actions are associated with one or more test description sections, wherein each test description section comprises one or more operation commands defining operations to be executed, in use, on the one or more executable actions of the system under test associated with the respective model action.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the test description sections comprise one or more validation commands operable, in use, to determine whether the one or more operation commands have been executed correctly.

14. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

i) providing a database, the database being updated when a model action is selected.

15. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

j) generating an automated test; and

k) executing the automated test on the system under test.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions configured when executed to perform a method for generating an automated test configured, when executed, to test a system under test comprising one or more computer programs being executed on one or more computer devices, the system under test comprising a plurality of operational states and one or more executable actions, the method comprising the steps of:

a) utilising a model of the system under test, the model comprising a plurality of model states and one or more selectable model actions, wherein one or more of the model states are representative of operational states of the system under test and each model action is associated with one or more executable actions on the system under test; and

b) generating an automated test by:

c) selecting a sequence of model actions; and

d) defining, based on said selected sequence of model actions, an automated test configured, in use, to execute sequence of executable actions on the system under test,

wherein the selection of one or more model actions in step c) is dependent upon the previous selection of model actions in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests, wherein a plurality of model actions are available in a current model state and the selection of a given model action in step c) is dependent upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests relative to the number of times each of the one or more other available model actions in the current model state have been selected and wherein each model action is assigned a coverage parameter in dependence upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and one or more previous automated tests.

17. Computing apparatus for generating an automated test configured, when executed, to test a system under test comprising one or more computer programs being executed on one or more computer devices, the system under test comprising a plurality of operational states and one or more executable actions, the computing apparatus including memory being configured to:

a) utilise a model of the system under test, the model comprising a plurality of model states and one or more selectable model actions, wherein one or more of the model states are representative of operational states of the system under test and each model action is associated with one or more executable actions on the system under test; and

b) generate an automated test by:

c) selecting a sequence of model actions; and

d) defining, based on said selected sequence of model actions, an automated test configured, in use, to execute sequence of executable actions on the system under test,

wherein the selection of one or more model actions in step c) is dependent upon the previous selection of model actions in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests, wherein a plurality of model actions are available in a current model state and the selection of a given model action in step c) is dependent upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests relative to the number of times each of the one or more other available model actions in the current model state have been selected and wherein each model action is assigned a coverage parameter in dependence upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and one or more previous automated tests.

18. Computing apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising a database, the database being updated when a model action is selected.

19. Computing apparatus according to claim 17 , further configured to execute the automated test on the system under test.

20. Computing apparatus operable to test a system under test comprising one or more computer programs being executed on one or more computer devices, the system under test comprising a plurality of operational states and one or more executable actions, the test program being configured to utilise a model of the system under test, the model comprising a plurality of model states and one or more selectable model actions, wherein one or more of the model states are representative of operational states of the system under test and each model action is associated with one or more executable actions on the system under test, wherein the computing apparatus including memory is configured to generate an automated test by:

a) selecting a sequence of model actions; and

b) defining, based on said selected sequence of model actions, an automated test configured, in use, to execute sequence of executable actions on the system under test, wherein the selection of one or more model actions in step a) is dependent upon the previous selection of model actions in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests, wherein a plurality of model actions are available in a current model state and the selection of a given model action in step c) is dependent upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and/or one or more previous automated tests relative to the number of times each of the one or more other available model actions in the current model state have been selected and wherein each model action is assigned a coverage parameter in dependence upon the number of times that model action has been previously selected in the current and one or more previous automated tests; and wherein the computing apparatus is further configured to:

c) execute the automated test on the system under test.