Sneak Circuit and Software Sneak Analysis

Abstract

An overview of the development and application of a systems analysis technique will be presented in this paper. The technique is based on an aerospace discovery that topological criteria exist that can be used to recognize unplanned operational modes of a system. Software sneak analysis is based on successful electrical sneak circuit analysis techniques which have been applied to over 70 commercial, military, nuclear, and space systems. The similarities of electrical current and software logic flow implied the possibility of an analogous technique for software analysis. The technique involves encoding software data for computer processing. The computer processing produces simplified, topological network trees which represent the software system. The network trees are analyzed by the application of sneak clues to identify and report all sneak conditions. There have been seven successful applications of software sneak analysis to computer systems involving over twelve different computer languages. The results obtained from a variety of complex electrical and software systems analyses will also be presented as positive collaboration for this analysis technique.