Optimal release policies for a software system with warranty cost and change-point phenomenon

Authors: D.R. PRINCE WILLIAMS

Abstract: Determining the software quality and release time of the software is an important role of software reliability. Software reliability growth models (SRGMs) are applications of software reliability. The change-point is defined as the prominent change in the software testing time, in connection with the quality of a software error occurrence or error-detection phenomenon. As a result, the software reliability growth process, based on the change-point, affects the precision of the software reliability prediction, based on the SRGMs. To find the accurate total expected delivery cost with a suitable warranty period of the software system, a new cost model for the software system with the warranty and change-point phenomenon is proposed in this paper. The entire expected delivery cost and the reliability of the software system is calculated using the change-point SRGM. The optimal release time is calculated by reducing the overall estimated delivery cost for various desired reliability levels. Based on the proposed warranty cost model and the reliability of the software system, we have derived some optimal release policies. Numerical illustrations and interconnected discussed data are itemized. From the testing outcome, we get software release policies that provide a comprehensive analysis of software based on the total expected delivery cost with a suitable warranty period, desired level of reliability, and change-point. Moreover, these policies will be helpful for project managers to decide where to stop the testing for customer release at the exact time with a suitable warranty period.

Keywords: Software reliability, optimal release policies, change-point

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