A study of the modeling and analysis of software fault‐detection and fault‐correction processes

TLDR

Most software reliability models rely on reliability growth models that focus on fault detection, often assuming immediate correction or ignoring correction time, but few datasets exist to support modeling both detection and removal processes. The paper presents useful approaches for modeling both fault detection and correction processes and analyzes release‑time decisions that integrate these models. The authors illustrate the modeling approach with data from a real software development project. The procedure is easy to use and practical. © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Most of the models for software reliability analysis are based on reliability growth models which deal with the fault detection process. This is done either by assuming that faults are corrected immediately after being detected or the time to correct a fault is not counted. Some models have been developed to relax this assumption. However, unlike the fault‐detection process, few published data sets are available to support the modeling and analysis of both the fault detection and removal processes. In this paper, some useful approaches to the modeling of both software fault‐detection and fault‐correction processes are discussed. Further analysis on the software release time decision that incorporates both a fault‐detection model and fault‐correction model is also presented. This procedure is easy to use and useful for practical applications. The approach is illustrated with an actual set of data from a software development project. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.