JPS6362017B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a computer system, and particularly to a method for testing a multi-system computer system in which a plurality of processing devices (computers) are connected by a transmission path.

[Background of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-system computer system in which a plurality of processing devices and input/output devices are combined in order to improve the processing performance, reliability, and expandability of the system. In the figure, a processing device (computer)
1 to 5 and the input/output devices 7 and 8 are mutually coupled by a transmission line 6, and data is transferred between each of the processing devices 1 to 5 and between the processing devices 1 to 5 and the input/output devices 7 and 8. have.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional method for testing in such a multi-system computer system. The processing device 9 is connected to a transmission line 10 and inputs data 11 flowing on the transmission line 10 . Processing device 9 performs operation 1 on input data 11.
2 is performed, and the result is output onto the transmission line 10 as output data 13.

In such a multi-system computer system, when testing the processing device 9, for example, when a new processing device 9 is added (expansion) or when some internal processing is changed (modification), operation 1
The output data 13 resulting from step 2 is sent directly to the transmission line 10.
If the test output data 13 is passed upward, this test output data 13 may be input to other processing devices, which may affect their operations, resulting in reliability problems. For this purpose, a switch mechanism 14 is provided in the processing device 9.
When the computer is under test, the result of the calculation 12 is output to the printing device 15 or stored in the storage device 16 instead of being sent to the transmission line 10.

However, in such conventional testing methods for multi-system computer systems, it is necessary to incorporate the switch mechanism 14 into the processing device 9, and an extra printing device 15 and storage device 16 for testing are required. Since the test data 13 is not passed through the transmission line 10, there is a problem in that the entire system cannot be tested.

Further, in the conventional testing method for a multi-system computer system, it is necessary to perform the test at the location where the processing equipment is installed, but each processing equipment is usually installed in a plurality of factories or workshops. Therefore, the worker who conducts the test is required to visit each factory or the like where the processing equipment to be tested is installed, which poses a problem in that work efficiency is reduced.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and it is possible to add or improve a processing device in a multi-system computer system without having to provide an extra device exclusively for testing in the processing device. To provide a test method for a multi-system computer system, which is capable of executing a test through a transmission path of the multi-system computer system, and further allows the test to be executed without a worker visiting the installation location of a processing device. The purpose is to

[Summary of the invention]

In a multi-system computer system in which a plurality of computers are interconnected by transmission paths, the present invention adds a flag indicating that the test target computer is outputting data to the output data that is being tested, and the test equipment transmits data on the transmission path. Check the status of the above flags for all data, and if the data is output from the computer under test, take it in, store or display it as test result data, and store or display it as test result data. The computer is characterized in that it checks the state of the flag of the input data input through the transmission path, and ignores it if the input data is data output from the computer under test.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the processing device 17 is the transmission line 1
Data 19 connected to 8 and flowing on transmission line 18
Enter. The processing device 17 performs an operation 20 on the input data 19 and outputs the result as output data 21.
The signal is output onto the transmission line 18 as a signal.

Here, if the processing device 17 is under test, the test mode storage memory 22 is set to be under test. This test mode storage memory 22
is to remember whether or not a test is being performed, so
It is sufficient to have a storage capacity of 1 bit. Processing device 17
Then, the content of the test mode storage memory 22 is added to the calculation result 23 as a test mode flag using the OR circuit 24, and the result is outputted onto the transmission line 18 as output data 21.

Processing devices other than the test target check the test mode flag in the output data 21 for all input data, and ignore this if the data is from the test target processing device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the format of data on the transmission line 18 used in the test method of the present invention. The data on the transmission path 18 is stored in a control section 25 that indicates the nature and attributes of the data, a test mode flag 26 that indicates whether the data is output from the computer under test, and a data section 27 that stores the data. It consists of Here, the test mode flag 26 is added to all output data from the processing device under test, and checked by the processing device other than the test object that receives it.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a multi-system computer system using the test method of the present invention. The processing devices 28 to 32 and the input/output devices 34 and 35 are connected to the transmission line 3.
3, between the processing devices 28-32 and between the processing devices 28-32 and the input/output devices 34, 3.
Data transfer is performed between 5. Furthermore, tester 3
8, the printing device 39 and the storage device 40 constitute a test device.

The processing device to be tested 32 receives data 36 from the transmission path 33 and outputs the result of calculation on the input data to which a flag indicating a test mode is added as output data 37 onto the transmission path 33 . The processing devices 28 to 31 that are not to be tested take in the output data 37 as input data from the transmission line 33, check the test mode flag therein, and confirm that the output data 37 is from the processing device 32 to be tested. If this is determined to be the case, ignore this.

A tester 38 is connected to the transmission line 33 as a tool for confirming and checking test results. The tester 38 takes in all the data flowing on the transmission line 33. The test mode flag of each data is checked, and if it is from the processing device to be tested 32, it is output to the printing device 39 or stored in the storage device 40. This tester 3
8. Since the printing device 39 and the storage device 40 are installed in the control room of the multi-system computer system, the operator can execute the test without visiting the installation location of the processing device 32 to be tested. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the reliability of the test is improved because the test can be executed through the transmission line of the multi-system computer system without providing an extra device exclusively for testing in the processing device. In addition, it is possible to perform tests without requiring an operator to go to the installation location of the processing device to be tested.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a multisystem computer system, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional test method for a multisystem computer system, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the data format of the data used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-system computer system that executes the test method for a multi-system computer system of the present invention. be. 17, 28-32... Processing device, 18, 33... Transmission line, 22... Test mode storage memory, 24... OR circuit, 34, 35... Input/output device, 38... Tester, 39... Printing device, 40... Storage device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a multi-system computer system in which multiple computers are interconnected by transmission paths, the computer under test adds a flag to the output data that it outputs to indicate that it is under test, and the test equipment checks all the data flowing on the transmission path. Check the status of the above flag, and if the data is output from the computer under test, capture it and store or display it as test result data, and transmit it to computers other than the computer under test and the test device. A test of a multi-system computer system, characterized in that the state of the above-mentioned flags of input data inputted through a network is checked, and if the input data is data output from a computer under test, this is ignored. Method.