Predicting fault-prone modules in embedded systems using analogy-based classification models

摘要

Embedded systems have become ubiquitous and essential entities in our ever growing high-tech world. The backbone of today's information-highway infrastructure are embedded systems such as telecommunication systems. They demand high reliability, so as to prevent severe consequences of failures including costly repairs at remote sites. Technology changes mandate that embedded systems evolve, resulting in a demand for techniques for improving reliability of their future system releases. Reliability models based on software metrics can be effective tools for software engineering of embedded systems, because quality improvements are so resource-consuming that it is not feasible to apply them to all modules. Identification of the likely fault-prone modules before system testing, can be effective in reducing the likelihood of faults discovered during operations. A software quality classification model is calibrated using software metrics from a past release, and is then applied to modules currently under development to estimate which modules are likely to be fault-prone. This paper presents and demonstrates an effective case-based reasoning approach for calibrating such classification models. It is attractive for software engineering of embedded systems, because it can be used to develop software reliability models using a faster, cheaper, and easier method. We illustrate our approach with two large-scale case studies obtained from embedded systems. They involve data collected from telecommunication systems including wireless systems. It is indicated that the level of classification accuracy observed in both case studies would be beneficial in achieving high software reliability of subsequent releases of the embedded systems.