Conformance testing of protocols specified as communicating finite state machines-a guided random walk based approach

Author

Lee, David ; Sabnani, Krishan K. ; Kristol, David M. ; Paul, Sanjoy

Author_Institution

AT&T Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ, USA

Volume

44

Issue

5

fYear

1996

fDate

5/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

631

Lastpage

640

Abstract

We present a new approach for conformance testing of protocols specified as a collection of communicating finite state machines (FSMs). Our approach uses a guided random walk procedure. This procedure attempts to cover all transitions in the component FSMs. We also introduce the concept of observers that check some aspect of protocol behavior. We present the result of applying our method to two example protocols: full-duplex alternating bit protocol and the ATM-adaptation-layer-convergence protocol. Applying our procedure to the ATM adaptation layer, 99% of component FSMs edges can be covered in a test with 11692 input steps. Previous approaches cannot do conformance test generation for standard protocols (such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) adaptation layer) specified as a collection of communicating FSMs

Keywords

asynchronous transfer mode; conformance testing; finite state machines; protocols; random processes; testing; ATM adaptation layer convergence protocol; asynchronous transfer mode; communicating finite state machines; conformance testing; full-duplex alternating bit protocol; guided random walk; observers; protocols testing; standard protocols; Asynchronous transfer mode; Automata; Communication networks; Communication standards; Communications Society; Explosions; Protocols; Senior members; System testing; Telecommunication network reliability;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Communications, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0090-6778

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/26.494307

Filename

494307