Overview
IEC 62628:2012, titled Guidance on Software Aspects of Dependability, is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It addresses critical concerns related to the dependability of software systems and provides comprehensive guidance on achieving reliable software performance. This standard emphasizes the interplay of management disciplines, design processes, and application environments in enhancing software dependability throughout the system life cycle.
Dependability in software refers to the system’s ability to perform reliably under specified conditions, ensuring trustworthiness and consistent service delivery. With software increasingly embedded in diverse applications-from industrial control systems to complex web services-the standard highlights the essential role of dependable software in maintaining performance, safety, and data integrity.
Key Topics
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Software Dependability Framework
IEC 62628 establishes a generic structure for defining software dependability requirements and integrates them within the system life cycle. This framework supports the consistent achievement of dependability goals.
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Software Life Cycle Processes
The standard describes software life cycle activities necessary for dependable systems, covering project implementation, requirement establishment, fault classification, and design environment considerations.
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Dependability Attributes and Evaluation
It outlines core software dependability attributes and presents methodologies for measuring and assessing these characteristics. This includes verification, validation, testing, reliability growth, and forecasting techniques.
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Fault Avoidance and Control Strategies
Emphasis is placed on strategies to prevent software faults and control their impact, such as fault tolerance, complexity simplification, fault classification, and operational profile analysis.
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Software Assurance and Best Practices
The document discusses tailoring assurance processes to project needs and highlights best practices to achieve software assurance, including the use of automated tools, comprehensive documentation, and user training.
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Dependability in Software and Hardware Interaction
IEC 62628 addresses the relationship between software and hardware dependability, focusing on their interaction within a system and combined reliability considerations.
Applications
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Industrial Automation and Control Systems
Ensures software in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems meets stringent reliability and safety requirements.
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Telecommunications and Network Services
Guides the development of dependable software for communication platforms where uptime and data integrity are critical.
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Embedded Systems in Safety-Critical Domains
Applies to software running in medical devices, automotive safety systems, and aerospace applications requiring certified reliability.
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Enterprise IT and Web Services
Supports the design of dependable web applications and e-business platforms that rely on third-party software components and cross-domain integration.
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Software Development Organizations
Provides project management disciplines and engineering practices to enhance dependability throughout software development and maintenance phases.
Related Standards
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IEC 61508 - Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems; complements IEC 62628 by addressing safety requirements including software aspects.
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ISO/IEC 12207 - Software life cycle processes; offers detailed software process frameworks that align with dependability engineering.
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ISO/IEC 25010 - Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) - Software product quality models; supports setting quality attributes related to dependability.
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Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) - Though not an IEC standard, it is referenced within IEC 62628 for software process improvement aligned with dependability goals.
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ISO/IEC 27001 - Information security management; complements dependability by addressing software security aspects.
By implementing the guidance provided in IEC 62628:2012, organizations can systematically enhance the dependability of software systems, improving reliability, availability, safety, and maintainability. This standard is essential reading for software engineers, quality assurance professionals, and project managers aiming to align software development processes with recognized dependability objectives.