Conformance

Mark Skall Lynne S. Rosenthal National Institute of Standards and Technology

mark.skall@nist.gov lynne.rosenthal@nist.gov

Introduction

NIST works with industry to develop standards and tests to improve the quality of software and achieve interoperable solutions Many years experience with
Formal standards organizations and Consortia Developing conformance test suites, tools, reference implementations Developing validation and certification testing programs

Todays Objectives

Present basic information about conformance and conformance related topics Achieve a common understanding Lead a discussion about how conformance applies to ebXML Present overview of TA Spec. Conformance Clause Offer our assistance to WG in discussing and developing conformance for their Spec.

Outline
Conformance Testing
Test suites Test tools

Conformance clause

Background Terminology Conformance Testing

Testing Methodology Testing Ingredients

Validation

Certification
Certificates Branding

Procedures, reporting

ebXML Issues TA Conformance Guidance

Background

Standards not enough to ensure interoperability

Standards only meaningful if implemented in a consistent way

Need to ensure that implementations adhere to the standard

What is expected of implementations in order to claim conformance i.e., what are the requirements? How will we know if an implementation conforms? test suites, test tools

Different ideas of what conformance is

Past experience may have affected view of conformance

Terminology
Conformance
Specification
Conformance Testing Conformance Clause test suite, test tools process, reporting certificate, brand

Validation
Certification

Terminology - Conformance

CONFORMANCE - the fulfillment of a product, process or service of specified requirements

(ISO Guide 2)

These requirements are specified in a standard or specification as part of a conformance clause or in the body of the specification

CONFORMANCE CLAUSE - a section of a specification that states all the requirements or criteria that must be satisfied to claim conformance

Terminology - Conformance Testing

CONFORMANCE TESTING a way to verify implementations of a specification to determine whether or not deviations from the specifications exist (through the use of test suites).
tests capture the technical requirements within the specification testing is bound in scope by the specification internal structure of product-under-test not accessible (black box testing)

Necessary, but not sufficient, for interoperability

Note: referred to as conformity assessment in ISO Guide 2

Testing Methodology

Falsification Testing
find errors by means of experimentation show presence of errors not their absence prove non-conformance; can never prove conformance

Tests built to check for:

required functionality has been implemented (basic tests) logical errors by misunderstanding requirements errors from boundary conditions and divergence common programming errors

Specification
Requirements

Implementation Conformance Tests

Test programs

100% non conforming

???? conforming

Terminology - Testing Process

VALIDATION - process necessary to perform conformance testing in accordance with a prescribed procedure and official test suite
ensures that testing can be repeatable and reproducible ensures that conclusions are consistent with facts presented in the evaluation

CERTIFICATION - acknowledgement that a validation was completed and the criteria established by CIO for issuing certificates (brands) was met.

Testing Ingredients
Certification
qualified bodies to do the testing and certification control board - advisory and arbiter

Validation
Process - policy and procedures for testing

Conformance Testing Test assertions Test suite

(test software, test scripts, test criteria)

Standard Conformance clause

ebXML Conformance Issues

Conformance Clause should address?

1. What Needs to Conform? 2. Profiles and Levels 3. Extensions 4. Implementation Defined Features 5. Alternate approaches

Scope what should be addressed?

a. Assertions b. Test Suite c. Testing Service d. Certification

ebXML Issues Conformance Clause address:

1. What needs to conform
identify the class of products that will be developed what are the conditions that need to be met in order to claim conformance
Examples: registry, messaging service, business service interface, ebXML message, testing partner agreements

ebXML Issues Conformance Clause address:

2. Profiles and Levels
Are profiles and/or levels needed? Should a profile have its own levels? minimal requirements (core)

Profile is a subset of the overall specifications that includes all of the functionality necessary to satisfy the requirements of a particular community of users. Levels are nested subsets of the specifications. Level 1 = core that all must implement; subsequent levels include lower level + added functionality

ebXML Issues Conformance Clause address:

3. Extensions
If allowed:
shall not re-define semantics of existing functions shall not cause standard-conforming functions to execute incorrectly

Standardized method for extensions?

Define the mechanism for extending the specification, so extended in a standard manner

Register of extensions
document parallel to but distinct from specification list of recognized, published extensions may eventually migrate into future versions

ebXML Issues Conformance Clause address:

4. Implementation Defined Features
may want to address implementation dependent ranges, min/max allowed values

5. Alternative Approaches
specification may describe several different ways to accomplish an operation (e.g., choice of bindings) specify whether or not all approaches need to be implemented

ebXML Issues - Scope

Should ebXML include or address:
a. Assertions (test requirements)
- Should assertions be part of the standard?

b. Test Suite
- Prescribe a test methodology? - How test suite will be delivered/used (e.g., web based, downloadable)?

c. Testing Service
- Guidelines for establishing a test service

d. Certification - Guidelines for issuing certificates

Testing Program - Considerations

How formal should testing be?

Self testing, 3rd party testing Branding/certificates

Testing program
Who will own the testing program Policy and procedures Testing laboratory Issue Certificates Control board Test suite maintenance

TA Conformance Guidance

General conformance guidelines for ebXML All ebXML specs shall contain a conformance clause
Can have levels of ebXML conformance hierarchical Explains how conformance requirements can be expressed (mandatory, conditional, optional)

Encourage use of publicly available test suites

Discussion