Empirical testing of Open Source Operating System Reliability

Anandeep Pannu and Hank Janssen

The 17th IEEE International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering (ISSRE 2006) -- Industry Practices (ISSRE 2006)
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, 6-10 November 2006

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Abstract

Gathering empirical data for operating system reliability is not a straightforward task in any operating system. Data that is captured in raw format by operating systems is not directly co-related with events in real life. Aggregration of data from event logs, clusters of events and other such parameters have to be analyzed and observational techniques used to identify data clusters that can be corelated with real world events.

We propose a technique based on work done in other operating systems that can be applied to Open Source Operating Systems specifically "Linux" systems. Our technique is based on the assumption that identifying reliability variables is operating system dependent.

We describe the specific data, measuring points and events that were used to obtain these variables. The techniques used to generate events of interests that provide us with data and measuring points will also be described. The specific logs, log formats and clusters of data generated with reliability determining events such as crashes and patching will be described as will the tools used to collect and make the data meaningful.

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Maintainer: mark.sherriff@ncsu.edu