A Multi-service and Multi-protocol Validation Platform-Experimentation Results

This article presents the implementation of a validation platform based on formal methods and the experimental results obtained. This platform allows performing conformance and interoperability tests, analysing the specification and constructing a performance model for the services. It covers all stages of the validation which are: formal specification, test architecture definition, test generation and execution for the defined architecture, and performance evaluation. The test methods and architectures used here make it easier to detect and localise errors. The platform has been constructed within the framework of the RNRT (National Telecommunications Research Network) platform project, PLATONIS. This platform is composed of a network integrating the different sites of the project partners. The principal application domains for the platform are telecommunication systems and mobile telephony. In particular, two different cases study are presented that illustrate the platform’s applicability to the test of mobile 3rd generation protocols and services using WAP, GPRS and UMTS. Nevertheless, the platform is generic and can be used for other types of communication protocols and services.