An approach to operating system testing with application to the IBM System 9000

Abstract

Because any system, especialiy a new system, should be reliable, a good method of test­ing the system before it is delivered to its final users is essential. In particular, this thesis is concerned with system test, the test of a system's interfaces. The problem is to find a method for system test that ensures a good system test and, therefore, a more reliable sys­tem. Before describing the method used, it is important to define just what the system test is supposed to do. This is essential because system test should not be spent re-testing what other tests have already covered and yet it should not miss anything either. Also, because the system test is a "high level" test, it should not be concerned with the fine details of how various functions are programmed, but instead test the perform::rnce of the system against 3 predetermined set of specifications. In other words, the system test is a black box test from the user's point of view that ensures the system's specified behavior.