Automated testing of protocol specifications and their implementations

Abstract

A highly automated approach is proposed for validating the consistency of distinct representations of an identical software functionality. This approach is based on checking whether the observable behaviors presented by software functionality representations given in different levels of abstraction are consistent with one another. These representations are encoded in a relatively mechanical way as procedures in sequential PROLOG, a very high level language. The approach is extremely flexible, straight-forward to use, and particularly appropriate to layered protocol architectures. As well, the approach leads to more reliable and less tedious, less error-prone test harness construction and maintenance. A number of variations and extensions of the approach are given. The use of this approach is illustrated in the context of communication protocols design and evaluation.