Summary: Testing using Log File Analysis:
Tools, Methods, and Issues
James H. Andrews
Dept. of Computer Science
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
andrews@csd.uwo.ca
Abstract
Large software systems often keep log files of events.
Such log files can be analyzed to check whether a run of a
program reveals faults in the system. We discuss how such
log files can be used in software testing. We present a frame­
work for automatically analyzing log files, and describe a
language for specifying analyzer programs and an imple­
mentation of that language. The language permits compo­
sitional, compact specifications of software, which act as
test oracles; we discuss the use and efficacy of these ora­
cles for unit­ and system­level testing in various settings. We
explore methodological issues such as efficiency and log­
ging policies, and the scope and limitations of the frame­

Source: Andrews, Jamie - Department of Computer Science, University of Western Ontario

Collections: Computer Technologies and Information Sciences