Advanced Testing of Systems-of-Systems, Volume 1

1Introduction

1.1. Definition

There are many definitions of what a system-of-systems (or SoS) is. We will use the following one: “A system-of-systems is a set of systems, software and/or hardware, developed to provide a service by collaborating together, by organizations that are not under the same management”. This simple definition entails challenges and adaptations that we will identify and study.

A system-of-systems can be considered from two points of view: on the one hand, from the global systemic level (we could take the image of a company information system) and, on the other hand, from the unitary application system (which we may call a subsystem, application system or application, software-predominant equipment or component). We will thus have at the upper level a system-of-systems that could be a “information system” that is made of multiple systems that we will call subsystems. For example, a company may have in their information system one accounting system, a CRM, a human resource management system, a stock management system, etc. These different systems are most likely developed by different editors and their interaction provides a service to the company. Other examples of systems-of-systems are air traffic systems, aircrafts and satellite systems, vehicles and crafts. In these systems-of-systems, the service is provided to the users when all subsystems work, correctly and quickly exchanging data between them.

Systems-of-systems, even if they are often complex, ...