COTS selection using fuzzy interactive approach

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce fuzzy mathematical programming (FMP) for decision-making related to software creation by selecting optimal commercial-off-theshelf (COTS) products in a modular software system. Each module in such software systems have different alternatives with variations in their properties, for example, quality, reliability, execution time, size and cost. Due to these variations, componentbased software developers generally deals with the problem of selecting appropriate COTS products. The development of COTS-based systems largely depends on the success of the selection process. Various crisp optimization models of COTS products selection have been proposed in literature. However, in real COTS products selection problem, it is difficult to estimate precisely the values of various model parameters due to lack of sufficient data and also because of measurement errors. Hence, instead of crisp optimization model, if we use flexible optimization model then we might obtain results which are more preferred by the decision maker. In this study, we use multiple methodologies such as quality model, analytical hierarchy process and FMP to develop fuzzy multiobjective optimization model of the COTS products selection. To determine a preferred compromise solution for the multiobjective optimization problem, an interactive fuzzy approach is used.

MCDM based evaluation and ranking of commercial off-the-shelf using fuzzy based matrix method

“…COTS are defined as the software pieces that can be further reused by the software developers to build the new software systems (Firesmith, 2005;Vigder et al, 1996). Gupta et al (2012) described the COTS products that are available for purchase, lease or license to the general public. The COTS products are ready made and can be used by the software developers "as it is" and can be easily installed and incorporated with the existing system components.…”

A systematic review of COTS evaluation and selection approaches

“…Ibrahim et al (2011) proposed a hybrid model UnHOS (Uncertainty Handling in COTS Selection) by combining AHP and BBN followed by the sensitivity analysis to solve the COTS component selection problem. Gupta et al (2012) introduced fuzzy mathematical programming (FMP) for the COTS component evaluation and selection. Ravichandran et al (2012) adopted Neuro-fuzzy approach and presented an effective methodology ANFIS for the selection and evaluation of COTS components.…”

COTS products selection using fuzzy chance-constrained multiobjective programming

“…The existing COTS products selection models under a fuzzy environment, for example, Bali et al [1], Gupta et al [8], Gupta et al [10], Jha et al [14] and Mehlawat and Gupta [25], are based on minimizing the distance from the PIS with respect to each goal or criterion; however, in real-world applications, it is desirable to consider deviations from both PIS and NIS for better decision making. This is the motivation to study the multiobjective COTS products selection problem using an approach that is based on a compromising principle whereby we not only minimize the distance from PIS but also maximize the distance from NIS.…”

“…Additionally, most of the parameters embedded in the COTS products selection problem are frequently vague/uncertain in nature because of the incompleteness or unavailability of required data over the planning horizon, and thus, these parameters can only be obtained subjectively. This motivate us to use fuzzy model parameters rather than the crisp model parameters used for COTS selection in the existing literature, for example, Gupta et al [8], Gupta et al [10], Jha et al [14], Jung and Choi [15] and Shen et al [31]. This is done to provide greater flexibility for treating different possible scenarios of input data uncertainty in the COTS selection problem.…”

“…Jha et al [14] developed an optimization model for selecting COTS components that maximizes reliability and minimizes absolute deviational execution time, which in turn minimizes the overall execution time of the software system. Gupta et al [10] introduced an interactive fuzzy approach for decision making related to software creation by selecting optimal COTS products in a modular software system. Bali et al [1] proposed a fuzzy multi-objective approach for optimal component selection for a fault-tolerant modular software system under the consensus recovery block scheme.…”