Architecture-based approaches to software reliability prediction

With growing emphasis on reuse, the software development process moves toward component-based software design. As a result, there is a need for modeling approaches that are capable of considering the architecture of the software made out of components. This paper presents an overview of the state of the research and practice in the architecture-based approach to quantitative assessment of software systems. First, the common requirements of the architecture-based models are identified and the classification is proposed. Then, the key models in each class are described in detail with a focus on their relation and unification. Finally, a critical analysis of the underlying assumptions, limitations, and applicability of these models is provided, which should be helpful in determining the directions for future research.