A Methodology for Conformance Testing of Managed Objects

Abstract

The trend towards distributed applications and heterogeneous networks increases the complexity of systems and network management. The standardization bodies have defined a framework for the specification and open exchange of management information. Conformance, one of the key requirements for the interworking of open management systems, was hardly discussed. Few groups have realized the importance of defining conformance not only for management protocols but also for management information. This paper presents a methodology for management information testing and explains differences with respect to communication protocol testing. It is shown how conformance requirements can be derived and how tests can be performed. An outlook points out the adaptation of an existing TTCN based test tool for the definition and execution of test cases for management information.

Testing of Relationships in an OSI Management Information Base

“…In [2], an architecture suitable for MO conformance testing is described. A test system in the role of a manager is responsible for executing test cases based on sending and receiving CMIS [13] requests to an agent in which the MOs to be tested are embedded (see Figure 1}.…”

“…The MO conformance testing concepts can not be introduced in length within this paper. For further details it is referred to [2]. • Specification looks at aspects of the managed resources and represents them by means of the information model using dedicated specification tools.…”

“…The test suite for an object catalogue (including MOC, name binding, MRC, and role binding definitions) comprises the set of all abstract test cases developed for testing MOs in isolation combined with the abstract test cases developed for relationships. The difficulties of dealing with resources in the testing process have already been discussed in [2].…”

“…This has already been recognized in [1] where a 'relationship view' has been introduced as an integral part of a conformance testing methodology for MOs. Formal specification of relationship aspects using the GRM makes the task of determining their conformance requirements and deriving according test cases easier than basing the task on informal MO behavior specifications only.…”