Graybox software testing methodology: embedded software testing technique

Abstract

The Graybox Methodology is a full software life-cycle testing methodology used to functionally verify Ada, 'C', FORTRAN and assembly language software developed for embedded applications. The Graybox methodology reduces the cost and the time of software development by automatically creating all test unique software. It has been estimated that one line of unique test code is developed for every ten lines of application code (a 10% reduction in SW test time). Previous studies have shown that what used to take two days now takes less than four hours to thoroughly test a unit of software (a 75% reduction in test time). Since the cost of maintaining and upgrading this test-use only code is high, it is simply discarded after testing thereby receiving the name "throw-away" code.