Patent ID: 7673288

Claim:
A processor-implemented method for software testing, comprising: generating a plurality of intermediate results for at least one software test, wherein each intermediate result corresponds to one of the at least one software test; for each intermediate result, generating a respective key from the intermediate result; wherein the generating the respective key from the intermediate result includes generating a single key of a fixed size from a hash function of the intermediate result; for each intermediate result, determining whether the respective key is stored in a file cache, wherein the file cache stores a plurality of files under a plurality of keys; for each intermediate result, bypassing generating a final result for the corresponding software test from the intermediate result in response to the respective key being present in the file cache; for each intermediate result, generating a final result for the corresponding software test from the intermediate result in response to the respective key not being present in the file cache; and for each final result, storing the respective key and not storing the intermediate result in the file cache in response to the generating the final result, wherein the storing the respective key in the file cache in response to the generating the final result includes storing the respective key in the file cache in response to the final result indicating a successful test; wherein the storing the respective key in the file cache includes storing a file in the file cache under the respective key, and the file is one of an empty file or contains at least one of: a name of a user directing the generating the final result, a name of a computer performing the generating the final result, a time and date of the generating the final result, and a version number of at least one software module performing the generating the final result.