Some new models of software testing with performance comparisons

Author

Downs, T. ; Garrone, P.

Author_Institution

Queensland Univ., Brisbane, Qld., Australia

Volume

40

Issue

3

fYear

1991

fDate

8/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

322

Lastpage

328

Abstract

Two models of software testing, developed previously by T. Downs (see IEEE Trans. Software Eng., vol.SE-11, no.4, p.375-86, 1985, and IEEE Trans. Software Eng., vol.SE-12, no.9, p.979-87, 1986), are generalized to incorporate a greater degree of realism. This generalization leads to three new models. A fourth model, which has been developed using a different line of reasoning, is also presented. The performance of these models as reliability predictors is assessed by applying them to 16 sets of failure data collected from various software development projects. Comparisons of performance are made with the two earlier models and with two variants of the model of B. Littlewood and L. Verall (1973). Three distinct measurers of performance are employed. The performance of the new models is generally superior to that of the older models with one model showing outstanding performance under all three measures

Keywords

performance evaluation; program testing; software reliability; failure data; performance comparisons; reliability predictors; software testing; Costs; Performance analysis; Predictive models; Probability; Programming; Software reliability; Software systems; Software testing; Statistical analysis; Stochastic processes;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Reliability, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9529

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/24.85452

Filename

85452