The AETG testing paradigm is based on the black-box method of software testing. Test cases are derived from your system or application requirements. Therefore the service is largely independent of your product's architecture and implementation choices.

Yes and no. You enter field names, values, and constraints, and then the service builds tuples (sets of values) based on those data. Our patented algorithms guarantee that all possible pairwise interactions among field values are covered, so that each tuple can be used as a highly effective test-case input. For example, if a particular field accepts three-digit numbers, you select valid and invalid numbers to use in that field, then the service builds tuples using those numbers. Please note that the service does not generate a set of values for a field out of thin air; you must supply a set of values for every field.

Most field faults occur due to low-level interaction between field values. Statistical design theorists have always believed that, and we have done our own experiments in which pair-wise coverage has routinely achieved code-coverage of 90-95%. The same kind of code coverage results have been shown by some independent clients. Further, we have measured the efficiency of the tests with respect to the number of field faults it found in "pre-tested" software -- these numbers are extremely encouraging for the size of the testsuite it generates. Since it is clear pair-wise can never be exhaustive, and cutting costs is equally important, it becomes a matter of economics when one should go from lower to higher interactions. Of course, the algorithm achieves the same efficiency, but you inherently get more testcases.

The number of testcases grows polynomially with the interaction degree and logarithmically with the number of fields. However, a random algorithm is used, and in the presence of constraints, it may be off by a low polynomial.

Yes, you can. But we strongly encourage you to start thinking about getting automation in your test management process. This will help you to reap the maximum benefit from the testcases developed using the service.

We offer telephone support during the first 30 days of the term for licensed users. Our team offers online consulting for any of your test modeling needs. We also offer various on-site training courses on test-modeling subjects which can get you going immediately with test automation. To ensure that the service is available 24x7, we use a state-of-the-art server architecture at a location in New Jersy.

Yes, but nothing like shrink-wrap software. The AETG system is software that was designed to generate an efficient set of test cases from your system requirements. Use of that software is based on a service model, where the user logs in and uses the service over the Internet. It requires no software installation on the user's machine. This makes the Efficient Test Case Generation Service completely platform independent.

Absolutely! Please contact us if you are interested in licensing the Telcorida Efficient Test Case Generation Service for standalone use inside your company's network (behind your firewall).

However, we see significant benefits in the web-service model. The Efficient Test Case Generation Service is primarily a commercial software service developed by researchers in the Applied Research Area of Telcordia Technologies (formerly Bellcore). This means that new and better technologies are being continuously developed and added to the service. With the service model, we can get these new technologies to all our users through the Internet time along with the latest documentation. Also, the service model helps us manage support costs, which keeps the cost of the tool competitive.

The annual license fee for using the service is based on the number of seats (user accounts) you wish to buy. Since we occasionally offer promotional discounts, please contact us to get information on the latest offerings.

If you are a new user, you can get a free two-week trial account for the Efficient Test Case Generation Service. Simply email us at aetgweb@research.telcordia.com. Our representative will be in touch with you in 1-2 working days. You get unlimited use of the tool during this two-week period. If you wish, our experts will help you to get started and help you to model a few of your sample requirements. After two weeks this account can be converted to a regular account depending on mutual interest and after the necessary paperwork is done.

The Efficient Test Case Generation Service can be used over the public Internet on any hardware platform running either Netscape Navigator^R (Version 4.7 and above) or Microsoft^R Internet Explorer (Version 5.0 and above).

Each user's account is protected by a password. We use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology on our web server for security of data transmission over the public Internet. Our machines are protected by firewalls and other technologies. The Efficient Test Case Generation Service guarantees safe storage and backups of our users' sensitive data. This is further augmented with verbiage in the legal contract.

Because data may remain on backup tapes forever, some users use obscured versions of their test specifications. For example, instead of using a meaningful field name like "interest_rate", the name "i" might suffice. Field values can similarly be obscured so that the test specification becomes nearly unintelligible to outsiders.

Other users prevent their test specifications from going on our backup tapes by downloading and then deleting their test specifications after generating test cases. When they want to use the test specifications again, they can easily upload them back to our server and continue where they left off.

The Efficient Test Case Generation Service was developed by researchers in the Applied Research Area of Telcordia Technologies, Inc. Because the products generated by this group are new and come from a culture of innovation, the site was given the name "AR Greenhouse". The web site "http://www.argreenhouse.com" is the gateway to all information on products, staff members, and various projects in the Applied Research Area.