Estimating reliability of software systems: an evaluation of current methods

The purpose of this project is to evaluate several software reliability models and then determine which model is best suited for use on the Advanced Tomahawk Weapon Control System (ATWCS).

The models selected for evaluation are Musa’s “Basic Execution Time Model”, the model by Jelinski and Moranda, Musa and Okumoto’s “Logarithmic Poisson Model’, and Yamada’s “S-Shaped Reliability Growth Model.” Each model is evaluated against several comparison criteria. Each criterion is weighted in such a manner that indicates its significance to the target system and the system’s environment. Data from the early phases of ATWCS system testing is utilized in the evaluation of each model.

The software system environment is held in the forefront throughout the entire project. The importance of the environment to the selection of the most accurate reliability model is crucial.