Impartial approach to NoTA subsystem testing

NoTA is a service-based architecture framework that enables modularity in embedded system compositions by offering a common low-level communication interface. In this paper we present an approach to the testing dilemma by introducing an impartial NoTA testing framework. In the framework we have identified different testing targets in the NoTA architecture and presented testing approaches to access these testing targets accordingly. We developed an initial tool chain and test execution platform for NoTA testing. Reusability of the tool chain was an important design factor in order to cover all the different identified NoTA testing targets and approaches. A demonstrational implementation of the tool chain was applied against one of the identified NoTA testing targets. The testing demonstration concentrates on testing a NoTA application node inside a NoTA subsystem. A third party public-domain NoTA application, ‘Keyboard Service for NoTA’, was used as a test object. The testing demonstration proved that the tool chain is decent for testing a NoTA application node and provides a basis for further development. Future work for NoTA testing includes improvement of the tool chain to be more generic in order to enhance reusability, which would make further adaptations for different NoTA testing targets and approaches easier. The tool chain could also be expanded by the use of model-based test generation, which could provide automation and efficiency in constructing test cases.