Software reliability analysis: a systems development model

Implementation and utilization of the software reliability analysis model (SRAM) provides analysts, software engineers, and systems analysts and developers (SA&D) the means to predict, estimate, and measure rate-of-failure occurrences in software (including firmware). Rate-of-failure measures are understandable to system users. By implementing the SRAM in the content of software engineering, SA&D can: (1) analyze, manage, and improve the reliability of their systems; (2) balance usersʹ needs for competitive price, product reliability, and timely delivery; (3) determine when the software is ready to be released to the users, thereby minimizing the risks of releasing software with serious problems; and (4) avoid excessive time-to-market of the system due to system overtesting. Although the SRAM uses sophisticated statistical concepts, available software tools allow SA&D and developers to readily apply the model without difficulties.