Deriving parameter characteristics

ABSTRACT

An operational profile is a quantification of the expected use of a software component that is used for generating test cases in statistical testing. Previous work on operational profiles has concentrated on exploring the occurrence of operations and little has been said about operation parameters. The testing is meaningless if values for input parameters are not consistent according to the expected use. This paper presents a method for defining parameter characteristics by deriving constraints on and relationships between operation parameters. The parameter characteristics are then used to support generation of appropriate values for input parameters of operations. The method applies formal concept analysis using the component API to derive relationships between operations and parameters. Then the method uses these relationships, usage data and intended usage assumptions for defining characteristics of parameters. The method is illustrated on two Java classes but can be applied to any software component that is accessed through an API.

REFERENCES

• 1: F. B. Bastani , B. Cukic, Impact of program transformation on software reliability assessment, Proceedings of the 1996 High-Assurance Systems Engineering Workshop, p.214, October 22-22, 1996
• 2: G. Birkhoff, Lattice theory, Rev. ed. New York: American Mathematical Society, 1948.
• 3: T. Y. Chen , R. Merkel , G. Eddy , P. K. Wong, Adaptive Random Testing Through Dynamic Partitioning, Proceedings of the Quality Software, Fourth International Conference, p.79-86, September 08-10, 2004 [doi>10.1109/QSIC.2004.6]
• 4: Bojan Cukic, Combining Testing and Correctness Verification in Software Reliability Assessment, Proceedings of the 2nd High-Assurance Systems Engineering Workshop, p.182-187, August 11-12, 1997
• 5: B. Cukic , F. B. Bastani, On reducing the sensitivity of software reliability to variations in the operational profile, Proceedings of the The Seventh International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering, p.45, October 30-November 02, 1996
• 6: Mechelle Gittens , Hanan Lutfiyya , Michael Bauer, An Extended Operational Profile Model, Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering, p.314-325, November 02-05, 2004 [doi>10.1109/ISSRE.2004.8]
• 7: R. Hamlet, "Random testing," Encyclopedia of Software Engineering:970--978, 1994.
• 8: D. M. Hoffman and P. A. Strooper, Software Design, Automated Testing, and Maintenance A Practical Approach: International Thomson Computer Press, 1995.
• 9: J. D. Musa, "The operational profile in software reliability engineering: an overview," In Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering, pp. 140--154, 1992.
• 10: John D. Musa, Operational Profiles in Software-Reliability Engineering, IEEE Software, v.10 n.2, p.14-32, March 1993 [doi>10.1109/52.199724]
• 11: Rakesh Shukla , David Carrington , Paul Strooper, Systematic Operational Profile Development for Software Components, Proceedings of the 11th Asia-Pacific Software Engineering Conference, p.528-537, November 30-December 03, 2004 [doi>10.1109/APSEC.2004.95]
• 12: Rakesh Shukla , Paul Strooper , David Carrington, Tool Support for Statistical Testing of Software Components, Proceedings of the 12th Asia-Pacific Software Engineering Conference, p.719-728, December 15-17, 2005 [doi>10.1109/APSEC.2005.105]
• 13: Denise M. Woit, Operational profile specification, test case generation, and reliability estimation for modules, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Canada, 1994

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.5 Testing and Debugging
          Subjects: Testing tools (e.g., data generators, coverage testing)

General Terms:
Experimentation, Verification

Keywords:
formal concept analysis, operational profile, software component, statistical testing