Specification execution model for detecting feature interactions

Abstract

While independent provision of service results in normal operation, operation in tandem with other services causes defective operation to occur. These defects are called ‘feature interactions.’ Our investigation of the international benchmark for detection of feature interactions revealed that feature interactions not occurring in real systems (called ‘lsquo;seeming interactions’) were being detected. Analysis of the cause showed that a conventional state transition model was being used unchanged for the service specification execution model. Seeming interactions are an important issue for increasing the man-hours used to solve feature interactions. In this paper, we propose a trigger point model that clarifies the service specification trigger point as the specification execution model. Through use of this model, we were able to eliminate as seeming interactions about 60% of the feature interactions listed in the international benchmark, confirming the validity of the proposed model. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 90(4): 23–34, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20349