Model-Based Testing of Distributed Functions

Integration Testing In Practice

Industrial development processes are often driven by the involvement of suppliers and third-party components. The integration of third-party components requires particular efforts regarding systematic quality assurance on the part of the manufacturer, since neither the component implementation nor supplier-internal documentation is accessible. The manufacturer usually provides detailed component specifications, which may include textual requirements, executable component models, or acceptance test cases. The supplier develops the components and conducts supplier-specific unit testing. The manufacturer is the integrator of the externally developed components. He/she has to assure that the component fulfills the system requirements. A systematic integration test approach is needed to detect requirement violations and unspecified component interactions.

Figure 1 shows a simplified development process for embedded systems that takes into consideration the use of third-party components and the relationship between system manufacturers and suppliers. The process is divided into construction and quality assurance activities. Integration testing is usually performed together with the integration stage where system components are systematically assembled. In the example process, the components have been externally developed by the supplier and approved during the component acceptance testing stage.