Determination of the optimal software release time based on proportional hazards software reliability growth models

Abstract

The software reliability models to describe the reliability growth phenomenon are formulated by any stochastic point process with state-dependent or time-dependent intensity function. On the other hand, to deal with the environmental data, which consists of covariates influencing times to software failure, it may be useful to apply the Cox's proportional hazards model for assessing the software reliability. In this paper, we review the proportional hazards software reliability models and discuss the problem to determine the optimal software release time under the expected total software cost criterion. Numerical examples are devoted to examine the dependence of the covariate structure in both the software reliability prediction and the optimal software release decision. Practical implicationThe proportional hazards software reliability models are enhanced stochastic models to describe the software reliability growth phenomenon. The results obtained in this paper will be useful to design the software testing process in terms of the expected total software cost and to predict the release timing of software products to the market, taking account of the covariate data influencing times to software failure. Also, these results can provide a flexible tool on the decision making for software engineers, software scientists and software managers in the development company.

Utilizing Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms to Optimize Open Source Software Release Management

“…Additionally, Dohi [13] simplified the cost minimization issue to a time series forecasting problem, which was addressed using artificial neural networks. Nishio and Dohi [14] also harnessed Cox's proportional hazards model to address the software reliability evaluation. Building upon these concepts, Huang and Lyu [15] incorporated cost, testing effort, and test efficiency to formulate the optimal release-time problem.…”

A Comprehensive Analysis of Proportional Intensity-based Software Reliability Models with Covariates

“…Ascher [30,31], Bendell [32], Evanco and Lacovara [33], Evanco [34] and Nishio and Dohi [35] used the proportional hazard model (PHM) or Cox regression model [36] to integrate the software development metrics and/or environmental factors and defined the software fault-detection time distribution by taking the time-series metrics data into account as the covariate [37,38]. Pham [3] investigated a dynamic variant of PHM and constructed an enhanced PHM based on a continuous-time Markov chain.…”

A Comprehensive Analysis of Proportional Intensity-Based Software Reliability Models with Covariates

“…Ascher [30,31], Bendell [32], Evanco and Lacovara [33], Evanco [34] and Nishio and Dohi [35] used the proportional hazard model (PHM) or Cox regression model [36] to integrate the software development metrics and/or environmental factors and defined the software fault-detection time distribution by taking the time-series metrics data into account as the covariate [37,38]. Pham [3] investigated a dynamic variant of PHM and constructed an enhanced PHM based on a continuous-time Markov chain.…”