Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Fault-based testing focuses on the detection of particular classes of faults. RELAY is a fault-based testing technique whose model resembles a relay race. Analysis has shown that RELAY overcomes the weaknesses of other fault-based testing techniques.

RELAY defines revealing conditions that guarantee that a fault originates an error during execution and that the error transfers through computations and data flow until a failure is revealed. This model of error detection provides a fault-based criterion for test data selection. The model is applied by choosing a fault classification, instantiating the conditions for the classes of faults, and evaluating them for the program being tested. Such an application guarantees the detection of errors caused by any fault of the chosen classes. As a formal model of error detection, RELAY provides the basis for an automated testing tool. This paper presents the concepts behind RELAY, discusses how RELAY could be used as the foundation for a testing system, and compares RELAY to other fault-based testing techniques.