TUB-TCI: An architecture for dynamic deployment of test components

Abstract

The test definition language TTCN-3 is currently under standardization by ETSI/ITU-T. Its intended field of application is testing and performance measurement of communication hard- and software. TTCN-3 does include mechanisms for specifying remote hardware access and for distributed execution of testing code components. But for running compiled TTCN-3 code distributed onto distinct nodes of different vendors an architecture is needed which offers standardized means for dynamic, program controlled deployment, configuration and status inquiry of active and passive resources. TUB-TCI is a proposal for such an architecture, characterized by (1) totally generic definition of component classes, (2) coexistence of standardized (XML based) and specialized (high-speed) communication channels, (3) a model-based, strictly formal definition given in Z and (4) a simple, minimized but powerful execution model. Especially because of the integration of non-standard, high speed data channels TUB-TCI seems applicable for dynamical routing of real-time signals in general, beyond the field of test execution. © IFIP 2003.