Patent ID: 8799942

Claim:
A method for testing a service, the service being dependent on messages being exchanged between a plurality of service points, the method comprising: determining a test protocol sufficient to test service point capabilities with respect to providing the service, the test protocol defining a test sequence having a plurality of test messages wherein the test messages are required to be exchanged between service points in order to successfully complete the test protocol, the service requiring output of at least one mutually dependent message to in order to provide the service, each mutually dependent message output resulting from service point processing of at least two other messages defined in the test sequence; and assessing a sample sequence of sample messages exchanged between service points when executing the test protocol, the sample sequence being assessed for sequence errors, the sequence errors coinciding with portions of the sample sequence failing to match with the test sequence; wherein the test protocol defines the test sequence relative to a first server, a second server, a third server, a fourth server and a fifth server; and wherein the test protocol assesses whether: i) the first server properly outputs a first message to the second server, the first message being one of the sample messages; ii) the second server properly outputs a second message to the third server, the second message being one of the sample messages; iii) the second server properly outputs a third message to the fourth server, the third message being one of the sample messages; iv) the third server properly outputs a fourth message to the second server, the fourth message being one of the sample messages; v) the fourth server properly outputs a fifth message to the second server, the fifth message being one of the sample messages; and vi) the second server properly outputs a sixth message to the first server, the sixth message being one of the sample messages and being one of the at least one mutually dependent message.