IEEE 1633-2016

This recommended practice defines the software reliability engineering (SRE) processes, prediction models, growth models, tools, and practices of an organization. This document and its models and tools are useful to any development organization to identify the methods, equations, and criteria for quantitatively assessing the reliability of a software or firmware subsystem or product. Organizations that acquire software subsystems or products developed with consideration to this recommended practice will benefit by knowing the reliability of the software prior to acquisition. This document does not seek to certify either the software or firmware or the processes employed for developing the software or firmware.

The purpose for assessing the reliability of a software or firmware subsystem or product is to determine whether the software has met an established reliability objective and facilitate improvement of product reliability. The document defines the recommended practices for predicting software reliability (SR) early in development so as to facilitate planning, sensitivity analysis and trade-offs. This document also defines the recommended practices for estimating SR during test and operation so as to establish whether the software or firmware meets an established objective for reliability.

Revision Standard - Active. The methods for assessing and predicting the reliability of software, based on a life-cycle approach to software reliability engineering (SRE), are prescribed in this recommended practice. It provides information necessary for the application of software reliability (SR) measurement to a project, lays a foundation for building consistent methods, and establishes the basic principle for collecting the data needed to assess and predict the reliability of software. The recommended practice prescribes how any user can participate in SR assessments and predictions.