System testing architecture for a distributed switching system

Abstract

AbstractA large‐scale switching system composed of distributed modules requires a system testing architecture that automatically tests for verification of call connections normality and determines the fault position when a system fault occurs.This paper proposes a system testing architecture for high‐speed testing of the entire system and wide‐area tests in the system. In the proposed, the distributed modular switching system is divided into upper and lower level modules. The upper level has a system testing function for executing tests of the lower level in parallel. The lower level is provided with various kinds of test equipment and test execution control functions. Similarly, test control functions and test execution control functions, respectively, are provided to the upper and the lower function units composing the module.Compared to the existing sequential test control architecture, the test execution time for verification of the system operation normality of the entire switching system is reduced to 1/[(number of modules) × (number of function units composing a module)]. Testing started by maintenance personnel and diagnosis automatically executed by the switching system itself in the case of a fault can share the test agent for controlling the testing. Then, not only the fault position analysis but also the verification of call connection normality can be realized through the originating and terminating connection testing.