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Overview

Metrics and Tools for Assessing/Improving Software Attributes

We are interested in the following areas for research:

• Methods, tools, and metrics that contribute to increased system robustness through modularity, testability, quality, security, etc.
• Data collection heuristics evaluated on industrial-strength code bases (e.g. open source software)
• Static, dynamic, and mixed analysis.

RFP: Automation of Source Code Analysis

Refactoring Tools and Processes

Typically as software ages, it grows organically reducing the initial modularity as architected/designed. Research areas of interest include:

• Improved refactoring strategies, techniques, and tools to "improve" system robustness, quality, performance, security, etc.
• Before/after refactoring - feature equivalency.

Multi-core and/or Virtualization in Embedded Systems

Research on the advantages and strategies to leverage a virtualized development environment for embedded systems based on multi-core platforms.

Software Validation and Verification Tools

We are interested in research to improve both software validation and verification techniques which currently lag those used in hardware (both in addressing complexity and time-to-market).

Software Architecture Description and Glue

Further researches in the following areas are also of interest:

• Techniques for describing use cases and requirements as the basis for searchable component catalogs that index into implementations and other supporting information including tests, architectural descriptions, and other dependent components
• Tools for the description of and matchmaking between component interfaces especially between components that were not designed to talk to one another, but, are targeted for reuse in new unanticipated combinations
• Automated code generation for compiling interfaces between components.

If your research topic doesn't directly address any of the RFPs please submit it as a generic proposal for this area.

A useful resource for reporting on software engineering research may be found at this URL: Mary Shaw Mini-Tutorial. For more information, please contact us at research-software@cisco.com

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