protected List<List<String>> createTable4PartColsParts(IMetaStoreClient client) throws
          Exception {
    Table t = createTestTable(client, DB_NAME, TABLE_NAME, PARTCOL_SCHEMA, false);
    List<List<String>> testValues = Lists.newArrayList(
            Lists.newArrayList("1999", "01", "02"),
            Lists.newArrayList("2009", "02", "10"),
            Lists.newArrayList("2017", "10", "26"),
            Lists.newArrayList("2017", "11", "27"));

    for(List<String> vals : testValues){
      addPartition(client, t, vals);
    }

    return testValues;
  }
API tests for HMS client's  alterPartitions methods.
standalone-metastore/metastore-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/metastore/client/TestAlterPartitions.java