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Article | REF: SE2520 V2

Quantifying the reliability of computer software

Author: Frédérique VALLÉE

Publication date: October 10, 2012, Review date: March 1, 2015

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ABSTRACT

Software reliability models are today seldom used in industry and remain a rather controversial topic. This article describes the theoretical bases of software reliability modeling and explains how to put them into practice. Its goal is to demonstrate that it is a statistical technique that is valid and adapted to the software. This article also provides a review of the current industrial practices and presents potential means of improvement for these practices in the future.

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AUTHOR

  • Frédérique VALLÉE: Associate Professor of Mathematics - Doctor of Statistics - Associate Director of ALL4TEC, Massy

 INTRODUCTION

Although models for quantifying software reliability are a controversial subject , they are the only ones that provide an objective assessment of the level of reliability achieved at the end of development. As a result, this point is never explicitly addressed, or is approached subjectively, or is replaced by requirements on the realization process. In all cases, the substitution techniques used do not provide a precise idea of the risk involved in putting a software product into operation, which is, in essence, the aim of reliability quantification.

This article describes the theoretical foundations of software reliability quantification and explains how it can be used. It endeavors to dispel the main misgivings about software reliability quantification, explaining in particular the process by which failures occur and how mathematicians have proposed to model it. He also explains how OEMs could implement software reliability requirements that would clearly contribute to better operational quality of the IT components of the complex systems they acquire.

The aim of the article is to show that reliability modeling is a valid statistical technique applicable to software of all kinds: embedded software, real-time software, information system software in all fields. The article also takes stock of current industrial practices, and suggests possible future developments.

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KEYWORDS

reliability   |   failure rate   |   reliability requirements   |   reliability growth models

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