A Socio‐Technical Model for the Planning and Prediction of Communications Software Reliability

This article suggests a socio‐technical approach to the planning of reliable communication software by considering the various unique features that influence its reliability and performance. It proposes a realistic model for the prediction and estimation of communication software reliability with measurable parameters. The objective is to achieve the required reliability goals effectively, efficiently and economically. The model suggested employs limited test data and is based on the assumption that software malfunctions or fails owing to the manifestation of a proportion of residual faults according to a random independent process; the rate of fault manifestation is time dependent and the complexity of the software is relevant.