Specialist Task Force 487:
Extension of Conformance tests for TTCN-3 tools
Who we are:
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What we do
The purpose of this work is to continue and update the implementation of a TTCN-3 tool conformance test specification for TTCN-3 tools to the latest standard versions.
Previously done through STF 475 (Part 9) and STF 470, 409, 433, 451 (Part 1), we specify ICS, test purposes and TTCN-3 tests for those aspects of the TTCN-3 core language (Part 1) and of Using XML schema with TTCN-3 (Part 9) standard, which are considered to be the most critical by the TTCN-3 community.
For more details, see our Terms of Reference
Why we do it
Over the last decade TTCN-3 has become a significantly important testing technology with very high deployment at various ETSI member companies as well as other organizations internationally. With its established usage in 3GPP, ETSI, OMA and the AUTOSAR (a consortium of car makers and OEM suppliers), its role in standardization is further growing. 3GPP is using TTCN-3 as the test specification language e.g. for IMS call control testing from Rel. 8 onward. TC INT is using TTCN-3 for automating IMS core network interoperability testing. TC ITS is using TTCN-3 to specify all its test suites under the EC mandate M/453.
How we do it
Significant number of TTCN-3 test toolsets are available on the market (at least 7 commercial tools and 2 internal tools of industrial ETSI members) that also indicate the high interest and use of the language. Due to serving several domains and application areas, the TTCN-3 standards which provide the foundation for this testing technology, are quite complex and encompass multiple hundreds of pages. Part 1 of the TTCN-3 series, the TTCN-3 core language, alone is estimated to contain on the order of 5,000 requirements. Over the past 10 years the TTCN-3 community has repeatedly requested by for some kind of assurance that tools conform to TTCN-3 standards. A standardized testing language such as TTCN-3 should lead by example, i.e., tools that check conformance of systems to standards should also be tested for their compliance to standard.
The current version of the Conformance Test Suite for the Part1 and Part9 are one version behind the released standard. This is due to the fact that the work starts only after the final standard versions of the standard are available.
Having an active community around TTCN-3 produces feedback to the standard in the form of change requests (CRs). Since these are the basis of new standard versions, the focus of the conformance test suite is to cover these new features first, helping the TTCN-3 users, but also vendors to validate them by having a common understanding of the TTCN-3 standard.
Deliverables
The STF will produce following deliverables that will be approved by correspondence during Q4 2015.
TTCN-3 Conformance Test Suite
RTS/MTS-102950-1ed151T3Conf (TS 102 950-1 ed151) Part 1: Implementation Conformance Statement
RTS/MTS-102950-2ed151T3Conf (TS 102 950-2 ed151) Part 2: Test Suite Structure & Test Purposes
RTS/MTS-102950-3ed151T3Conf (TS 102 950-3 ed151) Part 3: Abstract Test Suite & IXIT
TTCN-3 Conformance Test Suite for use of XML schema
RTS/MTS-103253ed121 (TS 103 253 ed121) Part 1: Implementation Conformance Statement
RTS/MTS-103254ed121 (TS 103 254 ed121) Part 2: Test Suite Structure & Test Purposes
RTS/MTS-103255ed121 (TS 103 255 ed121) Part 3: Abstract Test Suite & IXIT
Time plan
The general timeline of deliverables produced in this STF is defined as follows:
- M1: Work Item adoption by TB - October 2014
- M2: Stable Draft - May 2015
- M3: Draft for approval - August 2015
- M4: TB approval (RC) - October 2015
- M5: Publication of results - November 2015
- Publication of deliverables - November 2015
On general inquiries, please contact the team leader Bogdan Stanca-Kaposta by e-mail (stanca@testingtech.com).
Otherwise, please use the e-mail addresses stated above in the “What we do” section.