Solving Fuzzy TSP with Ant Algorithms

A method and apparatus for conformance testing of complex entities, such as networks and their protocols. Networks that have their managed objects, attributes and notifications defined in industry standard ASN.1 notation can be methodically processed according to finite state machine models of their managed objects to provide optimum test cases for conformance testing. These test cases are optimum in that they are minimized according to a cost criterion, while designed to test each state of the finite state machine model at least once. A data base stores the optimum test cases of the managed objects to support testing of the defined and modeled network. The method further applies these optimum test cases via a test apparatus to a system-under-test, e.g. a network, to test conformance thereof to its specifications.