Abbas Tarhini

Regression Testing Web Applications

A web application is an application that can be accessed via a web browser over a network. Web applications contain client side code and server side code. Web applications undergo changes in the maintenance phase, and retesting changed programs is done thereafter. To retest a program after changes, we can select a subset of the whole test suite on the condition that the selected subset will give confidence about covering the changes. Regression testing techniques are required for adequate selection of these subsets of test cases. This paper presents a new regression testing technique for web applications based on a safe approach that covers changed elements and other potentially affected ones.

A pragmatic approach for testing robustness on real-time component based systems

Summary form only given. In this paper, we suggest a realistic methodology for testing robustness of real-time component-based systems (RTCBS). A RTCBS system is described as a collection of components where each component is specified by a nominal and a degraded specification, modeled as a timed input-output automaton (TIOA). Further, the communication of the whole system is also specified by its nominal and degraded specification. We extract test sequences from the nominal specification and we inject automatically faults in order to model hostile environments. Then, we present an adequate test architecture consisting of the system under test (SUT) of components, and a distributed tester that consists of a set of coordinating testers. Each tester is dedicated to test a single SUT component. A test execution algorithm with an approach to handle testers coordination and execution delay is presented. Testing the SUT is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the tester tests the robustness of each component in isolation. If all components are robust according to the inserted hazards, in the second phase, we use the nominal and degraded specification of the whole system to check the robustness of communications between components.

Robustness of composed timed systems

In this study we present a technique for testing robustness of Real-time systems described as Component-Based System having timing constraints. Each component is modeled as a Timed Input-Output Automaton (TIOA). For robustness issue, we handle two specifications : a nominal one (the more detailed specification) and a degraded one (considering only vitale functionnalities). We derive test sequences from the nominal specification of each component. We proceed to a mutation technique on these sequences in order to simulate hostile environments. Then we present a detailled algorithm for the application of test sequences on the Implementation of the system. This is done by means of an adequate test architecture consisting of the Implementation Under Test (IUT) of components, and a distributed tester that consists of a set of coordinating testers. Each tester is dedicated to test a single component.

Impact of ICT-based innovations on organizational performance: The role of corporate entrepreneurship

Purpose Research has shown that information and communication technologies (ICT) are crucial for economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that would depict and examine the nature of the relationship between ICT use and organizational performance in the Lebanese market, taking into consideration the impact that innovation and corporate entrepreneurship may have on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the proposed model a survey targeting employees, and managers who adopted ICT applications in SMEs located in Lebanon was conducted. Findings The results indicate that ICT and innovation are strategic resources. However, their contribution to sustainable competitive advantage vitally depends on the implicitness and entrepreneurial behaviors of those involved. It is through this capability that ICT and ICT-based innovations could make a difference in organization’s performance – both present and future. Research limitations/implications First, the respondents were selected using the convenience sampling technique. Second, the data were collected through self-report questionnaires. Finally, the use of perceptual data related to performance may have a bias effect on the study results. Practical/implications At the practical level, the study results have repercussions for managers, technology suppliers, and innovation adopters and managers, as this may contribute to better understanding of the factors that could influence the adoption, management, and use of ICT resources for enhancing the competitiveness level of the firm. Originality/value The results of this study have implications for ICT adoption in Lebanese SMEs. More importantly, they suggest a framework which depicts the relationship between ICT and the organization’s innovation level on one hand, and a company’s performance on the other, taking entrepreneurship as a mediator in this relationship.

Three-phase simulated annealing algorithms for exam scheduling

Summary form only given. Scheduling of final exam usually results in conflicts and inconvenience. Conflicts occur when simultaneous exams are scheduled for the same student, and inconvenience to a student refers to consecutive exams or more than two exams on the same day. A good exam schedule should aim to minimize conflicts and the two inconvenience factors based on weight that are user-assigned to these three factors and subject to some constraints such as the number and capacities of classrooms. Scheduling final exams for large numbers of courses and students in universities is an intractable problem. We decompose the problem into three phases and propose simulated annealing algorithms for these phases. Hence, we refer to our solution methods as 3-phase simulated annealing (3PSA). We empirically compare 3PSA with a 4-phase clustering-based heuristic algorithm using realistic data. Our experimental results show that 3PSA produces good exam schedules, which are better than those of the clustering heuristic procedure.

Scatter search algorithm for the cross-dock door assignment problem

Cross-docking is a practice in logistics in which shipments are directly moved from an inbound truck into an outbound truck. A recognized problem in this domain is the assignment of trucks to doors in a way that the distance to be traveled between the doors is minimized. This problem is known as the Cross-Dock Door Assignment Problem (CDAP). A lot of research has been conducted regarding this topic still, up to our knowledge, none used Scatter Search (SS). In this paper, we implemented this evolutionary metaheuristic algorithm and tested it, then compared the results with those of another evolutionary algorithm, Genetic Algorithm (GA). The results indicate that the SS outperformed the GA.

Optimization Metaheuristic for Software Testing

This paper presents an evolutionary method for testing web applications. Although state-based testing has been reported, few papers have addressed modern web applications. In our work, we model web applications by associating features or web pages with states; state transition diagrams are based on events representing state transitions. We formulate the web application testing problem as an optimization problem and use a simulated annealing (SA) metaheuristic algorithm to generate test cases as sequences of events while keeping the test suite size reasonable. SA evolves a solution by minimizing a function that is based on the contradictory objectives of coverage of events, diversity of events covered, and definite continuity of events. Our experimental results show that the proposed simultaneous-operation SA gives better results than an incremental SA version and significantly better than a greedy algorithm.

Robustness testing of composed real-time systems

In this paper, we suggest a methodology for testing robustness of Real-Time Component-Based Systems (RTCBS). A RTCBS system is described as a collection of components where each component is modeled as a Timed Input-Output Automaton (TIOA). For each component, we handle two specifications: a nominal one and a degraded one. We extract test sequences from the nominal specification and we inject automatically faults in order to model hostile environments. Then we present an adequate test architecture consisting of the System Under Test (SUT) of components, and a distributed tester that consists of a set of coordinating testers. Each tester is dedicated to test a single SUT component. A test execution algorithm is presented. Testing the SUT is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the tester executes the generated test sequences of each component in isolation and records the feedback of this experimentation. The robustness is checked by verifying if the recorded results are accepted by the degraded specification of each component. If all components are robust according to the inserted hazards, we check the robustness of communications between components respecting the same process described before.

Robustness evaluation of real-Time Protocols

In this paper, we suggest a methodology for measuring the degree of robustness for Real-Time Component-Based Systems (RTCBS). Each component of the RTCBS system is modeled as a Timed Labeled Transition System (TLTS). For each component, we handle two specifications : a nominal one and a degraded one. We extract test sequences from the nominal specification and we inject automatically faults in order to model hostile environments. A quantitative system is presented. It measures the degree of robustness of the RTCBS based on the robustness of the value of events and transition and also the robustness of their timing constraints. Then we present an adequate test architecture consisting of the System Under Test (SUT), and a distributed tester that consists of a set of coordinating testers. A test execution algorithm is also presented. Testing the SUT is divided into two phases that tests the robustness of each component and the robustness of the communication between them

Natural Optimization Algorithms for the Cross-Dock Door Assignment Problem

Cross-docking is a practice in logistics in which shipments are directly moved from an inbound truck into an outbound truck. A recognized problem in this domain is the assignment of trucks to doors in a way that the distance to be traveled between the doors is minimized. This problem is known as the cross-dock door assignment problem (CDAP). The purpose of this paper is to present a novel algorithm that minimizes the traveling distance of the handling machines when moving cargo from an inbound truck to an outbound truck. A lot of research has been conducted regarding this topic; still, up to our knowledge, none used scatter search (SS). This paper modifies a classical mathematical model that represents the CDAP and implements an evolutionary metaheuristic SS algorithm and tests it and then compares the results with those of another evolutionary algorithm, i.e., genetic algorithm (GA). The results indicate that the SS algorithm outperformed the GA, particularly for large-sized problems with a diverse reference set.