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https://doi.org/10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-MO2BCO03
Title Strategy and Tools to Test Software in the SKA Project: The CSP. LMC Case
Authors
  • G. Marotta, C. Baffa, E. Giani
    INAF - OA Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
  • G. Brajnik
    IDS, Udine, Italy
  • M. Colciago, I. Novak
    Cosylab Switzerland, Brugg, Switzerland
Abstract The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Telescope will be one of the largest and most complex scientific instruments ever built. The development of a reliable software for monitoring and controlling its operations is critical to the success of the entire SKA project. The Local Monitoring and Control of the Central Signal Processor (CSP. LMC) is a software responsible for controlling a key subsystem of the telescope, i.e. the Central Signal Processor (CSP). The software is implemented as a "device" within the TANGO framework, written in Python. In this paper we describe a testing strategy that addresses some typical problems of such a large and complex instrument. It is a multi-level strategy, based on a combination of automated tests (unit/component/integration), in the context of CI/CD practices. Software is also tested against errors and anomalous conditions that can occur while the CSP. LMC is interacting with external subsystems, which can be simulated. The paper also discusses needs and solutions based on data mining test results. This allows us to obtain statistics of unexpected failures and to investigate their causes. Furthermore, a database containing test results supports discovery of interesting and unexpected patterns of behaviors of the tests based on correlations about different test-related events and data. This helps us to develop a deeper understanding of the code’s functioning and to find suitable solutions to minimize unexpected behaviors. In addition it can be used also to support reliability testing.
Paper download MO2BCO03.PDF [0.665 MB / 6 pages]
Slides download MO2BCO03_TALK.PDF [2.331 MB]
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Conference ICALEPCS2023
Series International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems (19th)
Location Cape Town, South Africa
Date 09-13 October 2023
Publisher JACoW Publishing, Geneva, Switzerland
Editorial Board Volker RW Schaa (GSI, Darmstadt, Germany); Andy Götz (ESRF, Grenoble, France); Johan Venter (SARAO, Cape Town, South Africa); Karen White (SNS, Oak Ridge, TN, USA); Marie Robichon (ESRF, Grenoble, France); Vivienne Rowland (SARAO, Cape Town, South Africa)
Online ISBN 978-3-95450-238-7
Online ISSN 2226-0358
Received 06 October 2023
Revised 08 October 2023
Accepted 14 November 2023
Issued/td> 13 December 2023
DOI doi:10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-MO2BCO03
Pages 34-39
Copyright
Creative Commons CC logoPublished by JACoW Publishing under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s), the published article's title, publisher, and DOI.