Environments for testing software systems

As software becomes a larger part of many products, thorough testing becomes increasingly important. The testing process begins before the requirements are finished and continues until the product is discontinued. In this paper, we discuss the software testing process, its difficulties and costs. We set forth the features of a testing support system and how the Buster test support system — currently in use at over 50 sites throughout AT&T — helps realize those features. We also discuss further steps to increase the effectiveness of software testing and increase the value of the final product.