CSE 8317 (Spring 2011): Software Reliability and Safety
Prof. Jeff Tian, CSE Dept., SMU, Dallas, TX 75275
Phone: (214)768-2861; Fax: (214)768-3085
tian@lyle.smu.edu; lyle.smu.edu/~tian/class/8317.11s
1. General Information
With the pervasive use of and reliance on computers and software systems
in modern society,
ensuring their quality and dependability has become increasingly important.
This advanced course will cover in depth two most important aspect of quality
and dependability for such system: reliability and safety,
with a focus on recent research and applications in the subject area
that may have a great practical impact and
that may lead to subsequent innovative research.
CSE 8317 will be organized as a research seminar
with active student participation.
This participatory nature is reflected in all the course elements,
ranging from discussions/presentations related to students homework/project
to specific topics to be studied and discussed in our class.
2. Course Contents
We will have in-depth discussions about several important
topics concerning the measurement,
analysis and improvement activities aimed at ensuring
software reliability and safety.
The major focus will be on three areas:
-
Software reliability engineering:
reliability concepts and their application to the software domain;
software reliability models and analysis methods
for reliability assessment and prediction;
data collection, treatment, and analysis;
related tools and applications in different industries;
and techniques for reliability improvement and optimization.
-
Software safety engineering:
safety concepts and their applications to computer-intensive systems;
system characterization and application domains;
safety and hazard analysis using fault trees, event trees,
and other analysis techniques;
integration of safety assurance into the software processes;
formal verification for safety;
and general techniques to deal with safety issues.
-
Common analysis techniques
to support SRE and SSE above will also be covered at the beginning of
of our semester,
including general quality and dependability framework and related analysis,
including,
defect analysis, risk identification, as well as general issues
with software measurement and analysis.
For each of the above topics,
after introducing the fundamental ideas and basic models and techniques,
we will focus on
recent developments,
and particularly relevant research done at SMU,
including tree-based reliability modeling,
data clustering and censoring techniques,
prescriptive specification checking for hazard prevention,
early estimate and risk management techniques for reliability
and safety improvement,
and new applications of software reliability and safety to
web-based, embedded, service-oriented, and net-centric systems.
3. Textbooks and Class Material
4. Workload and Grading
The course grade each student receives will reflect the weighted
average of homework, a major project, a final quiz, and other assignments:
- Project:
See the online project information for more details.
- Homework:
See the online homework assignments.
- Student presentation:
See the online student presentation information
for more details.
- Final Quiz:
There will be a comprehensive final quiz to cover
the breadth of the students' knowledge
in SRE and SSE
(as the students' depth of knowledge is demonstrated in their projects already).
The approximate weight assignment is as follows:
-
Project (proposal, report, and presentation): 35%
-
Final quiz: 25%
-
Homework: 15%
-
Presentation/participation: 25%
No late assignments will be accepted nor graded
unless prior approval was granted by the instructor
or a valid (acceptable to the instructor) reason is
given in case of an emergency.
Notice
(Relevant SMU policies):
-
Disability Accommodations: Students needing academic accommodations
for a disability must first be registered with Disability
Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS)
to verify the disability and to establish eligibility for accommodations.
Students may call 214-768-1470 or
visit http://www.smu.edu/alec/dass.asp to begin the process.
Once registered, students should then schedule an appointment
with the professor to make appropriate arrangements.
(See University Policy No. 2.4; an attachment describes
the DASS procedures and relocated office.)
-
Religious Observance: Religiously observant students wishing to
be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify
their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester,
and should discuss with them,
in advance, acceptable ways of making up any
work missed because of the absence.
(See University Policy No. 1.9.)
-
Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities:
Students participating in an officially sanctioned,
scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given
the opportunity to make up class assignments or other
graded assignments missed as a result of their participation.
It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements
with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination
or other missed assignment for making up the work.
(University Undergraduate Catalogue)
Prepared by Jeff Tian
(tian@lyle.smu.edu).
Initially posted: Jan. 9, 2011. Last update: Jan. 21, 2011.