Improved quality of protocol testing through techniques of experimental design

This paper describes how both the quality and efficiency of protocol testing were improved by using a new Bellcore tool called the Automatic Efficient Test Generator (AETG). The AETG tool is based on ideas from experimental design and it creates a test set that contains all possible pairs of involved factors. Two examples are given to illustrate this technique and compare it with traditional approaches. The improved quality of testing leads to a faster detection of nonconformances and a higher quality of products in a shorter development interval. Although the application discussed in this paper covers protocol conformance testing, the techniques for improving the quality of testing can be applied to other types of testing such as feature testing and testing between two different network elements