Abstract
In this paper, we define error locating arrays (ELAs), which can be used to locate faulty interactions between parameters or components in a software system. We give constructions of ELAs based on covering arrays. Under certain assumptions on the structure of the faulty interactions, we design and analyse efficient algorithms that locate errors. Under the assumption of known “safe values”, our algorithm performs a number of tests that is polynomial in logk and d, where k is the number of parameters in the system and d is an upper bound on the number of faulty pairwise interactions. For the binary alphabet case, we provide an algorithm that does not require safe values and runs in expected polynomial time in logk whenever d ∈ O(loglogk).
Part of this research was done while the first author was on sabbatical leave at Carleton Univ. and later while the second and third authors were on sabbatical leave at Univ. Politècnica de Catalunya. C. Martínez was supported by projects ALINEX (TIN2005-05446 and TIN2006-11345) of the Spanish Min. of Education and Science. L. Moura was supported by NSERC. D. Panario was supported by NSERC and the Spanish Min. of Education and Science. B. Stevens was supported by NSERC, CFI, OIT, and Ontario MRI.
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Martínez, C., Moura, L., Panario, D., Stevens, B. (2008). Algorithms to Locate Errors Using Covering Arrays. In: Laber, E.S., Bornstein, C., Nogueira, L.T., Faria, L. (eds) LATIN 2008: Theoretical Informatics. LATIN 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4957. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78773-0_44
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78773-0_44
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