A MANIFOLD GROWTH MODEL THAT UNIFIES SOFTWARE RELIABILITY GROWTH MODELS

Abstract

Ensuring software reliability is one of the most important issues in software development. High-precision fault rate prediction is a powerful method for ensuring reliability. A variety of highly accurate methods have been proposed to date, the most widely used being software reliability growth models (SRGMs) based on how the cumulative number of faults detected varies over time. This paper presents a manifold model that unifies existing SRGMs. This model, in addition to reducing the labor in selecting the most suitable model for each growth curve, makes it possible to predict the number of remaining faults for complicated fault growth curves with higher accuracy than previously. Using the manifold model, this paper clarifies the relationships between the existing SRGMs. Then, using actual data, it compares the fault estimation accuracy of the manifold model and representative SRGMs, showing the usefulness of this model.