Abstract
Test generation and execution are often hampered by the large state spaces of the systems involved. In automata (or transition system) based test algorithms, taking advantage of symmetry in the behavior of specification and implementation may substantially reduce the amount of tests. We present a framework for describing and exploiting symmetries in black box test derivation methods based on finite state machines (FSMs). An algorithm is presented that, for a given symmetry relation on the traces of as FSM, computes a subautomaton that characterizes the FSM up to symmetry. This machinery is applied to Chow’s classical W-method for test derivation. Finally, we focus on symmetries defined in terms of repeating patterns.
The original version of this chapter was revised: The copyright line was incorrect. This has been corrected. The Erratum to this chapter is available at DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-35394-4_29
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A.V. Aho, A.T. Dahbura, D. Lee, and M.U. Uyar. An optimization technique for protocol conformance test generation based on UIO sequences and Rural Chinese Postman Tours. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 39(11):16041615, 1991.
K. Ajami, S. Haddad and J-M. Ilie. Exploiting symmetry in linear time temporal logic model checking: One step beyond. In Steffen [22], pages 52–67.
E. Brinksma. A theory for the derivation of tests. In S. Aggrawal and K. Sabani, editors, Protocol Specification Testing and Verification, Volume VIII, pages 6374. North-Holland, 1988.
E. Brinksma, J. Tretmans and L. Verhaard. A framework for test selection. In B. Jonsson, J. Parrow and B. Pehrson, editors, Protocol Specification Testing and Verification, Volume XI, pages 233–248. North-Holland, 1991.
W.Y.L. Chan, S.T. Vuong, and M.R. Ito. An improved protocol test generation procedure based on UIOs. In Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Communication Architectures and Protocols, pages 283–294, 1989.
O. Charles, and R. Groz. Basing test coverage on a formalization of test hypotheses. In M. Kim, S. Kang, and K. Hong, editors, Testing of Communicating Systems, Volume 10, pages 109–124. Chapman & Hall, 1997.
T.S. Chow. Testing software design modeled by finite-state machines. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 4 (3): 178–187, 1978.
E.M. Clarke, T. Filkorn, and S. Jha. Exploiting symmetry in temporal logic model checking. In Courcoubetis [9], pages 450–462.
C. Courcoubetis, editor. Proceedings 5th International Conference on Computer Aided Verification (CAV ‘83). Lecture Notes in Computer Science 697. Springer-Verlag, 1993.
E.A. Emerson, S. Jha and D. Peled. Combining partial order and symmetry reductions. In E. Brinksma, editor, Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS ‘87), pages 19–34. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1217. Springer-Verlag, 1997.
E.A. Emerson and A.P. Sistla. Symmetry and model checking. In Courcoubetis [9], pages 463–478.
E.A. Emerson and A.P. Sistla. Utilizing symmetry when model-checking under fairness assumptions: an automata-theoretic approach. ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems, 19 (4): 617–638, 1997.
S. Fujiwara, G. v. Bochmann, E Khendek, M. Amalou and A. Ghedamsi. Test selection based on finite state models. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 16 (6): 591–603, 1991.
H. Garavel. OPEN/CIESAR: An open software architecture for verification, simulation, and testing. In Steffen [22], pages 68–84. For more information on the tool set, seehttp://www.inrialpes.fr/vasy/pub/cadp.html.
M.-C. Gaudel. Testing can be formal, too. In P.D. Mosses, M. Nielsen, and M.I. Schwartzbach, editors, TAPSOFT’95: Theory and Practice of Software Development, pages 82–96. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 915. Springer-Verlag, 1995.
O. Grumberg, editor. Pmceedings 9uh International Conference on Computer Aided Verification (CAV ‘87). Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1254. Springer-Verlag, 1997.
V. Gyuris and A.P. Sistla. On-the-fly model checking under fairness that exploits symmetry. In Grumberg [16], pages 232–243.
S. Kang and M. Kim. Interoperability test suite derivation for symmetric communication protocols. In T. Mizuno, N. Shiratori, T. Higashino, and A. Togashi, editors, Formal Description Techniques and Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification (FORTE X/ PSTV XVII ‘87), pages 57–72. Chapman & Hall, 1997.
A. Petrenko, T. Higashino, and T. Kaji. Handling redundant and additional states in protocol testing. In A. Cavalli and S. Budkowski, editors, Protocol Test Systems, Volume VIII, pages 307–322. Chapman & Hall, 1995.
F. Michel, P. Azema, and K. Drira. Selective generation of symmetrical test cases. In B. Baumgarten, H.-J. Burkhardt and A. Giessler, editors, Testing of Communicating Systems, Volume 9, pages 191–206. Chapman & Hall, 1996.
R. Milner. Communication and Concurrency. Prentice-Hall International, Englewood Cliffs, 1989.
B. Steffen, editor. Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS ‘88). Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1384. Springer-Verlag, 1998.
R. Terpstra, L. Fereira Pires, L. Heerink, and J. Tretmans. Testing theory in practice: A simple experiment. In Pmceedings of the COST 247 International Workshop on Applied Formal Methods in System Design, 1996. Also published as Technical Report CTIT 96–21, University of Twente, The Netherlands, 1996.
J. Tretmans. A theory for the derivation of tests. In Formal Description Techniques (FORTE II ‘89). North-Holland, 1989.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Romijn, J., Springintveld, J. (1998). Exploiting Symmetry in Protocol Testing. In: Budkowski, S., Cavalli, A., Najm, E. (eds) Formal Description Techniques and Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification. PSTV FORTE 1998 1998. IFIP — The International Federation for Information Processing, vol 6. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35394-4_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35394-4_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-5262-5
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-35394-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive