What is the Objective of Tool Qualification?
Ans:
To ensure that the tool provides the confidence at least equivalent to that of the processes eliminated, reduced or automated.
Qualification of a tool is needed when processes in RTCA/DO-178B are eliminated, reduced or automated by the use of a software tool, without its output is being verified.
Software tool qualification is required only when the results of the tool are being relied onto supply the sole evidence that one or more objectives are satisfied.
What are the outputs of Tool Qualification?
Ans:
The outputs of the tool qualification are
- Tool Operational Requirements
- Tool Qualification Results
- Tool Accomplishment summary
- Software accomplishment summary
- Tool verification records
- Tool Qualification Development Data
What type of tools need qualification?
Ans:
There are two types of software tools which needs qualification.
- Software Development tools
- Software Verification tools
Development tools has a potential to introduce errors directly in to the system.
Verification Tools can only fail to detect an error that already exists in the system.
Software Development Tools:
Tools whose output is part of airborne software and thus can introduce errors.
Eg:
- A tool which generates source code directly from low level requirements would have to be qualified if the generated source code is not verified.
- A Tool that instrumented the code for testing and then removed the instrumentation code after the test were completed.If there were no further verification of the tools output, then this tool could have altered the original code in some unknown way , typically the original code before the instrumentation is what is used in the product.
Software Verification Tools:
Tool that cannot introduce errors but may fail to detect them.
Eg:
- A static analyzer, that automates a software verification process activity, should be qualified if the function that it performs is not verified by another activity.
- A tool that automates the comparison of various software products against some standards for that product.
- A tool that generates the cases and procedures from the requirements.
- A tool that automatically runs the tests and determines the Pass/Fail status.
- A tool that tracks the test processes and reports if the desired structural coverage has been achieved.
What are the tool qualification criteria for Software Development tools?
Ans:
- Qualification should be for a specific system. The intention should be stated in the PSAC
- If a software development tool is to be qualified, the software development process for the tool should satisfy the same objectives as the software development process of airborne system.
- The Software level assigned to the tool should be the same as that for the airborne software it produces, unless the applicant can justify a reduction in software level of the tool to the certification authority.
- A trial period may be used as a means to demonstrate compliance with the tool operational requirements. This demonstration will involve a verification of the tool output and analyzing and correcting the tool related problems.
- Tool Operational requirements are reviewed.
- Only deterministic tools may be qualified.
- Combined software development tools and software verification tools can be qualified unless the partitioning can be shown.
- Compliance with tool operational requirements under normal operating conditions should be demonstrated.
- Compliance with tool operational requirements under abnormal operating conditions should be demonstrated.
- Requirement based coverage should be analyzed.
- Structural coverage appropriate for the tools software level should be completed.
- Robustness testing appropriate for the tools software level should be completed.
- Potential errors should be analyzed.
What are the tool qualification criteria for Software Verification tools?
Ans:
- Qualification should be for a specific system. The intention should be stated in the PSAC
- If a software development tool is to be qualified, the software development process for the tool should satisfy the same objectives as the software development process of airborne system.
- The Software level assigned to the tool should be the same as that for the airborne software it produces, unless the applicant can justify a reduction in software level of the tool to the certification authority.
- A trial period may be used as a means to demonstrate compliance with the tool operational requirements. This demonstration will involve a verification of the tool output and analyzing and correcting the tool related problems.
- Tool Operational requirements are reviewed.
- Only deterministic tools may be qualified.
- Combined software development tools and software verification tools can be qualified unless the partitioning can be shown.
- Compliance with tool operational requirements under normal operating conditions should be demonstrated.
What is tool qualification plan?
Ans:
The tool qualification plan describes the tool qualification process. This plan includes
- Configuration identification of the tool.
- Software level proposed for the tool
- Details of the certification credit sought i.e. software verification process activities to be eliminated, reduced or automated.
- Description of the tool’s architecture.
- Tool qualification activities to be performed.
What are tool operational requirements?
Ans:
Tool Operational requirements for any tool that requires qualification should include what tool does, how it is used, and environment in which it performs.
What is Software Accomplishment summary?
Ans:
Software accomplishment summary submitted to the FAA should summarize the result of the verification tool qualification process and describe and reference the relevant tool qualification data.
For the development tool qualification, the SAS will likely only reference the tool accomplishment summary.
What is tool accomplishment summary?
Ans:
Tool accomplishment summary submitted to the FAA should summarize the result of the tool qualification process and describe and reference the relevant tool qualification data.
What is tool verification record?
Ans:
Data showing that all the requirements in tool operational requirements have been verified should be documented and made available for FAA review. This data includes test cases, test procedures and test results.