UK: EPSRC PhD Studentship in Testing the Dependability of Large-Scale Architectures, University of Leeds
EPSRC PhD Studentship: Testing the dependability of large-scale architectures through the application of heuristic rules to automate fault injection
Closing date: 31 August 2007
This project is appropriate for a software engineering graduate with a strong validation and verification background or a computer science graduate with a strong programming background. The student will join the Distributed Systems and Services research group located within the School of Computing at the University of Leeds (see http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys/).
Fault injection is an important evaluation tool but its use requires detailed knowledge of the system architecture, available fault models, and how and where they can be applied. This studentship will examine the application of heuristic rules to automate fault injection placement.
A number of projects in recent years have noted that fault injection is a useful tool for assessing the dependability of systems. It is used in both academic circles and industrial projects to assess system robustness and dependability means. Whilst it is relatively easy to implement fault injection tools or hand insert fault injection code, it requires a great deal of skill and detailed knowledge of the system under test to place the fault injection points in a system so that they provide best coverage.
Research projects have implemented fault injection frameworks that semi-automate the creation of fault injection campaigns for a system. Unfortunately these systems fail to automate the actual placement of fault injection points within a system and thus require experienced users to operate them. Published work indicates that a method based on heuristic rules may allow automation of the process by guiding fault injection point placement, eliminating the need for detailed knowledge of the system under test, and reducing the dependency on domain experts.
The aim of this studentship is to devise a method to guide the placement of fault injection within a system. It is envisaged, but not constrained by, that the method will involve organizing heuristic rules, their associated fault models and coverage statistics as well as the system descriptions into a number of ontologies and an engine will be used to determine appropriate injection points within the system for a selected fault model. The method will be implemented as an example tool, either as a standalone tool or as an add-on to an existing tool.
The studentship is part of the EPSRC/BAE Systems funded research project in system engineering addressing the question: “Are you prepared for NEC (Network Enabled Capability)?” The NECTISE (Network Enabled Capability Through Innovative Systems Engineering) project is a five and half year research endeavor involving the Universities of: Loughborough, Bath, Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Queen’s Belfast, Strathclyde, and York, with a value of around £8.4M. The University of Leeds is one of the four academic leaders for the entire programme, leading research activities on system architectures and contributing to the development of Through Life System Management. This studentship will be linked to the evaluation of architectures.
Entry Requirements: Applicants should have a BSc 2(i) level (or equivalent) background in Software Engineering or Computer Science.
This studentship will provide maintenance and fees for UK students or EU students with three year’s UK residence. The studentship will follow the standard EPSRC studentship rate (the standard rate can be found at http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/PostgraduateTraining/InformationForStudents/default.htm ).
The provisional starting date is 1 October 2007 although another date can be negotiated. Details on how to apply can be found at: http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/comp/pg/PGRapply.shtml
Applications will be considered up to 31 August 2007. Early applications will be considered immediately.
Further details:
Contact: Dr Nik Looker
Tel: 0113 343 5432
Email: n.e.looker[ at ]leeds.ac.uk
Web: http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys
Closing date: 31 August 2007
Via: Official Announcement.
Closing date: 31 August 2007
This project is appropriate for a software engineering graduate with a strong validation and verification background or a computer science graduate with a strong programming background. The student will join the Distributed Systems and Services research group located within the School of Computing at the University of Leeds (see http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys/).
Fault injection is an important evaluation tool but its use requires detailed knowledge of the system architecture, available fault models, and how and where they can be applied. This studentship will examine the application of heuristic rules to automate fault injection placement.
A number of projects in recent years have noted that fault injection is a useful tool for assessing the dependability of systems. It is used in both academic circles and industrial projects to assess system robustness and dependability means. Whilst it is relatively easy to implement fault injection tools or hand insert fault injection code, it requires a great deal of skill and detailed knowledge of the system under test to place the fault injection points in a system so that they provide best coverage.
Research projects have implemented fault injection frameworks that semi-automate the creation of fault injection campaigns for a system. Unfortunately these systems fail to automate the actual placement of fault injection points within a system and thus require experienced users to operate them. Published work indicates that a method based on heuristic rules may allow automation of the process by guiding fault injection point placement, eliminating the need for detailed knowledge of the system under test, and reducing the dependency on domain experts.
The aim of this studentship is to devise a method to guide the placement of fault injection within a system. It is envisaged, but not constrained by, that the method will involve organizing heuristic rules, their associated fault models and coverage statistics as well as the system descriptions into a number of ontologies and an engine will be used to determine appropriate injection points within the system for a selected fault model. The method will be implemented as an example tool, either as a standalone tool or as an add-on to an existing tool.
The studentship is part of the EPSRC/BAE Systems funded research project in system engineering addressing the question: “Are you prepared for NEC (Network Enabled Capability)?” The NECTISE (Network Enabled Capability Through Innovative Systems Engineering) project is a five and half year research endeavor involving the Universities of: Loughborough, Bath, Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Queen’s Belfast, Strathclyde, and York, with a value of around £8.4M. The University of Leeds is one of the four academic leaders for the entire programme, leading research activities on system architectures and contributing to the development of Through Life System Management. This studentship will be linked to the evaluation of architectures.
Entry Requirements: Applicants should have a BSc 2(i) level (or equivalent) background in Software Engineering or Computer Science.
This studentship will provide maintenance and fees for UK students or EU students with three year’s UK residence. The studentship will follow the standard EPSRC studentship rate (the standard rate can be found at http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/PostgraduateTraining/InformationForStudents/default.htm ).
The provisional starting date is 1 October 2007 although another date can be negotiated. Details on how to apply can be found at: http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/comp/pg/PGRapply.shtml
Applications will be considered up to 31 August 2007. Early applications will be considered immediately.
Further details:
Contact: Dr Nik Looker
Tel: 0113 343 5432
Email: n.e.looker[ at ]leeds.ac.uk
Web: http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/distsys
Closing date: 31 August 2007
Via: Official Announcement.
Comments