Advanced Testing of Systems-of-Systems, Volume 1

6Test Levels

Systems-of-systems testing can be considered at various levels, each one more detailed than those above. This vision can be considered as linked to sequential development modes, but corresponds well to the mode of design – and test – of systems-of-systems: a general objective is defined then refined and detailed in several systems, products or components of smaller size, for which manufacturing or design contracts are drawn up. Smaller elements can be developed according to other design patterns (e.g. Agile, SAFe, V-cycle, Spiral, etc.) at the choice of the organization, as described in Figure 6.1.

Figure 6.1 Test levels in a system-of-systems.

The definition of the test levels can be based on the granularity of the objects subjected to the tests, as well as on the quality characteristics – the typologies of anomalies – which will be investigated at this level. For example, we could have software components – so the lower three levels – that are integrated into a product – so hardware–software integration tests to consider – then the product would be integrated, on an integration test bed of basic X2X type with other products to create a first-level system. The system would then be integrated – full X2X test level – with the other systems of the system-of-systems to verify the exchanges, prior to a set of system tests (E2E SoS) then – once all the tests have ...