Attributive model of software dependability assessment

Abstract

Abstract. The article is dedicated to the development of an attributive model of the dependable software, defining the metrics for dependable software, and the development of an object-independent universal approach to attributes assessment and dependable software metrics. The attributive model of the dependable software (AMDS) is designed by analogy with the attributive model for dependable computer systems (CS) and expanded by special attributes and metrics of CS software for critical purposes. Different areas of the national economy have developed their own industry standards for the creation of safe software which can be expanded and refined with the proposed AMDS and guided when defining attributes, metrics, and criteria for software assessment. In the AMDS, there are defined the following basic attributes: functionality, dependability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, portability, redundancy, self-control. An objectively-independent universal approach to the assessment of the software dependability by certain attributes, metrics, and criteria has been developed. A comprehensive assessment of the software dependability level is carried out according to AMDS in the form of linear functionality which contains assessments for all attributes of the model. There has also been developed a procedure for comparative assessment of the software dependability level using the analysis of the offered AMDS which is presented in the form of a generalized software dependability level assessment by which a comparative analysis of the dependability level of software various kinds is carried out. The attributive model of the dependable software, comprehensive and comparative assessment of the dependability level can be used by reliability specialists in various fields of application.