Reliability Allocation Model for Component Based Software using Fuzzy Arithmetic and Linear Programming

Abstract

At the design stage of any software, engineers try to attain the particular reliability goal. This goal can be achieved if all the subsystems of the corresponding system satisfy the required reliability level. Various reliability apportionment techniques are proposed by the researchers, for this purpose. Generally, these techniques consider the subjective data which is not realistic. Proposed methodology makes use of fuzzy trapezoidal number for effective results. The proposed research helps software engineers at the design time, to meet specific reliability target by reliability apportionment. Various factors responsible for the reliability are elected; experts provide their opinion for these factors that are further aggregated to make a single value. Proportionality factor is calculated and defuzzification is done afterwards. Depending upon the weight value of each subsystem, we get reliability of each component. A Specific reliability target can be achieved by reliability apportionment technique. The effectiveness and results of proposed method are discussed by illustration of an example.

    Keywords — Component based software, Fuzzy logic, linear programming,     Proportionality factor, Reliability allocation, Reliability apportionment.