Traffic-aware stress testing of distributed systems based on UML models

Abstract

A stress test methodology aimed at increasing chances of discovering faults related to network traffic in distributed systems is presented. The technique uses the UML 2.0 model of the distributed system under test, augmented with timing information, and is based on an analysis of the control flow in sequence diagrams. It yields stress test requirements that are made of specific control flow paths along with time values indicating when to trigger them. Different variants of our stress testing technique already exist (they stress different aspects of a distributed system) and we focus here on one variant that is designed to identify and to stress test the system at the instant when data traffic on a network is maximal. Using a real-world distributed system specification, we design and implement a prototype distributed system and describe, for that particular system, how the stress test cases are derived and executed using our methodology. The stress test results indicate that the technique is significantly more effective at detecting network traffic-related faults when compared to test cases based on an operational profile.

Search-based testing of service level agreements

“…In our case, the workflow schedule is fixed and the QoS depends on inputs, bindings and on other external factors. Similarities can be found with the work of Garousi et al [12] They perform stress testing on UML models of distributed systems, also accounting for network traffic. This is also a viable solution for Web services, although it requires the Web service behavior to be modeled as a UML model, which may or may not reflect the actual behavior.…”

The Future of Software Performance Engineering

“…An approach is to run the performance tests under similar conditions with the expected operational profile of the application in the field [9]. Briand and co-workers have pioneered the use of models to create stress tests for time-critical systems, by triggering stimuli at strategic instants [22]. This section will first describe some of the tools and techniques used to measure the performance of a system.…”

A UML-based quantitative framework for early prediction of resource usage and load in distributed real-time systems

“…The system is referred to as SCAPS (a SCAda-based Power System) [52]. SCAPS is a system to control the power distribution grid across a nation consisting of several provinces.…”

“…The national server performs the following real-time, data-intensive safety-critical functions as part of the Power Application Software: (1) Overload monitoring and control, (2) Detection of separated (disconnected) power system, and (3) Power restoration after grid failure. The complete UML [56], and we only present in Fig. 15 the parts of the model used in the two analyses of Sects.…”