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Recommendation X.403
MESSAGE HANDLING SYSTEMS - CONFORMANCE TESTING
The CCITT,
considering
(a) the need for Message Handling Systems;
(b) the need to ensure the interoperability of Message
Handling Systems;
(c) the need for conformance testing specifications for
Message Handling Systems;
(d) that the X.400-Series Recommendations specify
Message Handling Systems;
(e) the state-of-the-art of OSI testing methodology and
notation within CCITT-ISO,
unanimously declares
(1) that this Recommendation describes the testing
methodology for Message Handling Systems;
(2) that this Recommendation describes a notation used
to define test specifications for Message Handling
Systems;
(3) that this Recommendation describes the scope and
content of CCITT Conformance Testing Specification
Manuals for Message Handling Systems.
CONTENTS
0. Introduction
1. Scope and Field of Application
2. References
3. Definitions
4. Abbreviations
5. Conventions
6. Overview
7. Conformance requirements
8. Testing methodology
9. Structure of test suites
10. Information to be supplied by implementors
11. Test Notation
12. Conformance Assessment Procedures
Annex A Test Notation
Annex B IPMS(P2) PICS Proformas
Annex C MTS(P1) PICS Proformas
Annex D RTS PICS Proformas
0. Introduction
This Recommendation describes the test methods, test criteria and
test notation to be used for the conformance testing of message
handling systems based on the 1984 X.400 series of Recommendations
as supplemented by the X.400-Series Implementor's Guide
(version 5).
1. Scope and Field of Application
The message handling protocols in the scope of this Recommendation
are contained in the 1984 X.400-Series of Recommendations together
with the X.400 series Implementor's Guide (version 5).
Abstract test specifications for these are contained in the CCITT
Conformance Testing Specification Manuals associated with this
Recommendation:
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for IPMS(P2)
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for MTS(P1)
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for RTS
Even though these Manuals are referred to by this Recommendation
they are not part of it.
While the complete and correct operation of session, transport and
other lower-layer protocols is required for interworking the
testing of these layers is not in the scope of this Recommendation.
On the other hand, X.400 conformance tests should verify that the
Reliable Transfer Server (RTS) correctly uses the layers beneath
it.
The tests defined in this document apply to inter-domain working
(ADMD to ADMD and ADMD to PRMD). They relate to any MTA or UA in a
domain that supports communications with other domains.
Conformance testing of the semantics and syntax of the actual body
part information carried in a BODY PART is beyond the scope of this
document.
The purpose of this Recommendation is to minimize the time and
expense that manufacturers of X.400 implementations and providers
of X.400 services must incur to ensure a high degree of
interoperability of their equipment. This purpose is achieved by
having a set of X.400 conformance test specifications. The
successful joint execution of the test specifications by two
implementations can be accepted as compelling evidence of the
complete and correct operation of these implementations.
The scope and intention of this Recommendation is different from
other CCITT Recommendations which define communication services and
protocols such as the 1984 X.400-Series of Recommendations. The
purpose of the latter Recommendations is to unambiguously define a
system. However a Recommendation for conformance testing provides
a well chosen subset of tests of the virtually infinite
number of tests needed to guarantee full compliance to a protocol
standard. The subset is chosen in such a way that it gives a high
level of confidence that tested implementations will interwork
while taking into account pragmatic considerations such as time
taken to perform the tests.
Testing for conformance to functional standards is beyond the scope
of this Recommendation. However it is recognized that conformance
tests for functional standards can be derived from this
Recommendation and the associated Test Specification Manuals.
It should be recognized that the conformance testing of message
handling systems may fall within the framework of national
regulations and may be subject to the testing policies of
Administrations which are beyond the scope of this document.
2. References
X.400 Message Handling Systems: System Model-Service Elements,
version 1984.
X.401 Message Handling Systems: Basic service elements and
optional user facilities, version 1984.
X.408 Message Handling Systems: Encoded information type
conversion rules, version 1984.
X.409 Message Handling Systems: Presentation transfer syntax
and notation, version 1984.
X.410 Message Handling Systems: Remote operations and
reliable transfer server, version 1984.
X.411 Message Handling Systems: Message transfer layer,
version 1984.
X.420 Message Handling Systems: Interpersonal messaging
user agent layer, version 1984.
X.210 Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layer Service
Definitions Convention, version 1984.
X.400 Series (1984) Implementor's Guide version 5.
3. Definitions
3.1 Service Convention Definitions
This Recommendation makes use of the following terms defined in
Recommendation X.210, version 1984:
a) primitive;
b) request (primitive);
c) indication (primitive);
d) response (primitive);
e) confirm (primitive).
3.2 Message Handling Definitions
This Recommendation makes use of the following terms defined in
Recommendation X.400, version 1984:
a) administration management domain;
b) interpersonal message [X.420];
c) message;
d) message transfer [X.411];
e) originator;
f) private management domain;
g) recipient;
h) user.
4. Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in this Recommendation:
ADMD Administration management domain;
ASP Abstract Service Primitive;
DSE Distributed Single layer Embedded testmethod;
MHS Message Handling System;
IPMS Interpersonal Messaging System;
IUT Implementation Under Test;
MPDU Message Protocol Data Unit;
MT Message Transfer;
MTA Message Transfer Agent;
MTS Message Transfer System;
P1 The Message Transfer Protocol [X.411];
P2 The Interpersonal Messaging Protocol [X.420];
PCO Point of Control and Observation;
PICS Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement;
PIXIT Protocol Implementation Extra Information for Testing;
PDU Protocol data unit;
PRMD Private management domain;
RTS Reliable Transfer Server;
SAP Service Access Point;
TSP Test Suite Parameter;
TTCN Tree and Tabular Combined Notation;
UA User Agent.
5. Conventions
No conventions are defined for this Recommendation.
6. Overview
There are two kinds of CCITT documents concerned with
X.400 Conformance testing:
(a) This CCITT Recommendation entitled "X.403 Message Handling
Systems: Conformance Testing".
(b) Three associated CCITT Conformance Testing Specification
Manuals entitled:
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for IPMS(P2)
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for MTS(P1)
- Conformance Testing Specification Manual for RTS
The CCITT Recommendation is intended for a wide readership. The
Manuals are intended for test implementors and contain detailed
test specifications.
6.1 The X.400 Conformance Testing Recommendation
This Recommendation gives the following information:
(a) Conformance requirements of X.400 implementations.
(b) The testing methodology.
(c) The structure of the test specifications.
(d) Information to be supplied by implementors as a prerequisite to
conformance testing.
(e) The test notation.
(f) Conformance assessment procedures.
6.2 The X.400 Conformance Testing Specification Manuals
Three CCITT Conformance Testing Specification Manuals contain test
specifications for the IPMS(P2), MTS(P1), RTS. The test
specifications are written in a notation described in general terms
in clause 11. The Conformance Testing Specification Manuals are
referred to by this Recommendation but they are not part of it.
Since the Manuals contain detailed and unambiguous test
specifications, users of these Manuals should be familiar with the
X.400-Series of Recommendations and with the testing methodology
used.
7. Conformance requirements
The purpose of the test specifications referenced by this
Recommendation is to define tests that will establish to a high
degree of confidence that the various protocol layers of an
implementation under test conform to the requirements of the X.400
series of Recommendations (1984).
A system claiming to conform to the X.400 IPM-Service has to
support correctly:
- the basic IPM service elements as defined in X.400/Table 2
- the IPM Optional User facilities defined as Essential in
X.401/Table 1 and Table 2 (where the categorization for
origination and reception should be considered)
- the IPM Optional User facilities defined as Additional in
X.401/Table 1 and Table 2, which are claimed to be supported
- the requirements related to the IPM service as defined
in version 5 of the CCITT X.400-Series Implementor's Guide.
A system claiming to conform to the X.400 MT-service has to
support correctly:
- the basic MT-service elements as defined in X.400/Table 1
related to the MTS(P1) protocol
- the MT Optional User facilities defined as Essential in
X.401/Table 3 and 4 and related to the MTS(P1) protocol
- the MT Optional User facilities defined as Additional in
X.401/Table 3 and 4 and related to the MTS(P1) protocol,
which are claimed to be supported
- the requirements related to the P1 MT-service as defined
in version 5 of the CCITT X.400-Series Implementor's Guide.
A system claiming to conform to the X.400 RTS-service has to
support correctly:
- the RTS-services as defined in X.410
- the requirements related to the RTS-Service as defined in
version 5 of the CCITT X.400-Series Implementor's Guide.
Claims of conformance of an implementation to the X.400-Series of
Recommendations can be tested using the Conformance Testing
Specification Manuals associated with this Recommendation to
ensure that:
(a) The implementation does not act or react in a way different to
the one described in the Recommendations.
(b) The implementation is capable of handling protocol errors.
The reaction of an implementation on receipt of protocol errors
is not defined in the X.400 Series of Recommendations. For the
purpose of conformance testing the minimum additional
requirement is made that the implementation subsequently
continues to operate normally in such cases.
The absence of a mandatory protocol element in P2 or P1 is
regarded as a protocol error. It should be noted that in an
implemented MHS a recipient domain may choose to deliver an
incorrect MPDU. This should be considered as proprietary design
by the equipment vendor, and the specific actions taken in these
situations are defined by the vendor and not subject to
conformance.
(c) The implementation correctly handles the requirements defined
in X.400 Implementor's Guide Version 5.
Maximum lengths and maximum number of occurrences are
interpreted in the following way:
- on origination: the implementation may support maximum
lengths/occurrences up to but not exceeding the constraint
value.
- on reception: the implementation must support the maximum
lengths/occurrences of the constraints. Values above the
constraints may be supported but the conformance requirements
on the implementation upon reception of a length/occurrence
exceeding the constraint are the same as for protocol errors.
Claims of conformance to the X.400 series of Recommendations can
not be tested for those implementations for which it is not
possible to perform all the required tests for features labeled
mandatory, basic or essential optional.
8. Testing methodology
8.1 Test configurations
Two test configurations are used. The first configuration is shown
in Figure 1/X.403 and is used to test IPMS(P2), MTS(P1) and RTS.
Figure 1/X.403 End system configuration.
The second configuration is shown in Figure 2/X.403 and is used to
test the relay aspects of the MTS(P1) protocol.
Figure 2/X.403 Relaying MTA test configuration.
8.2 Points of Control and Observation
Test cases are described abstractly in terms of events at points of
control and observation (PCO) in both the tester and the
implementation under test (IUT). These PCOs are generally Service
Access Points (SAPs) and the events are generally Abstract Service
Primitives (ASPs). This does not imply that manufacturers are
required to have accessible SAPs or to implement ASPs within their
systems. During test execution the PCOs of an IUT may be accessed
indirectly through a user interface. Where testing is performed
through a user interface, the mapping of events between the SAP and
the user interface is provided by the supplier of the IUT as
described in clause 10.2.
8.2.1 PCOs for IPMS(P2)
The IPMS(P2) test cases are described using the Points of Control
and Observation (PCOs) shown in Figure 3/X.403:
Figure 3/X.403 Points of control and observation for IPMS(P2).
For the tester, the Point of Control and Observation is the Service
Access Point (SAP) defined at the boundary between the User Agent
Layer and the Message Transfer Layer. This PCO makes use of the
Message Transfer Layer Service Primitives defined in
Recommendation X.411.
For the IUT, the PCO is the SAP defined at the upper boundary of
the User Agent Layer. However Recommendation X.420 does not include
definition of Service Primitives and it has therefore been
necessary to construct hypothetical ones for sending and receiving
IP-messages, in order that the test cases can be described in a
formal way.
8.2.2 PCOs for MTS(P1)
The MTS(P1) test cases are described using the PCOs shown in
Figure 4/X.403:
Figure 4/X.403 Points of control and observation for MTS(P1).
For the tester, the PCO is the SAP defined at the boundary between
the MT Layer and the RTS. This PCO makes use of the RTS primitives
defined in Recommendation X.410.
For the IUT, the PCO is the SAP defined at the boundary between the
UA Layer and the MT Layer. This PCO makes use of the MT Service
Primitives defined in Recommendation X.411.
The testing of relay functions requires more than one tester SAP.
Similarly the testing of multiple destination delivery requires
more than one UA on the IUT.
8.2.3 PCOs for RTS
The RTS test cases are described using the PCOs shown in
Figure 5/X.403:
Figure 5/X.403 Points of control and observation for RTS.
For the tester, the PCO is the SAP defined at the boundary between
the RTS and the Session Layer. This PCO makes use of the Session
Service Primitives defined in Recommendation X.215.
For the IUT, the PCO is the SAP defined at the upper boundary of
the User Agent Layer. This PCO makes use of the same hypothetical
Service Primitives defined for IPMS(P2) (section 8.2.1).
The description of the RTS test cases includes events at a third
SAP at the IUT (SAP-I) between the MT Layer and RTS. The events of
this SAP are used only for clarification and it is not used as a
PCO.
8.3 Test Design Strategy
The MHS test specifications are designed using the following
concepts:
(a) A test specification is defined as a test suite composed of a
number of test cases as defined in clause 11.1.
(b) Test cases are defined in terms of
- lower layer ASP events at the tester
- upper layer ASP events at the IUT
(c) The test cases define the sequencing of these ASP events and
the associated parameters, in particular the PDUs.
(d) Test cases for valid behaviour specify ASP event sequences and
PDUs that are in accordance with the X.400 series of
Recommendations.
(e) Test cases for invalid behaviour are characterized by:
- A correct PDU or event initiated by the tester in a protocol
state where it is not permitted (an inopportune event), or
- a correct PDU incorporating an element which is
syntactically correct and in range, but conflicts with the
negotiated value, or
- a PDU sent by the tester which is syntactically incorrect
(examples are a missing mandatory protocol element, an out-of-
range value or an incorrectly encoded length indicator) or
- for RTS a lower layer ASP event issued by the tester used with
parameters that are not allowed or not appropriate (example
SPSN in SConnect) by X.400 restrictions.
(f) The depth of testing is restricted to a reasonable
number of test cases using the following principles:
For valid behaviour:
- If there is a small number of valid protocol element values,
test all of them.
- If there is a range of values, test the bounds and a few
common values.
- If there are no bounds, test an extreme value besides the
common ones.
For invalid behaviour:
- The number of test cases for a particular type of error is
reduced to one or just a few common ones.
8.3.1 Strategy for X.409 testing
The X.409 test cases defined in the CCITT Conformance Testing
Specification Manuals associated with this Recommendation are
applicable only to X.400 message handling systems. The testing of
X.409 is done as part of the MTS(P1), IPMS(P2) and RTS testing. The
features tested are the data types defined in X.409, the various
forms of length encoding and the use of primitive and constructor
data elements. To increase the likelihood that the tests can be
performed, the test cases wherever possible have been defined using
the protocol elements associated with mandatory service elements.
Two categories of X.409 tests are identified:
- Decoding Tests
These tests are constructed by identifying X.409 features to be
exercised and devising sets of correctly and incorrectly encoded
test PDUs containing these features. The tests are performed by
transmitting the test PDUs to the IUT and observing the local
reaction of the implementation and/or any PDUs returned to the
tester.
- Encoding Tests
These tests are constructed by identifying a set of user service
requests that will generate PDUs whose encoding will exercise
major X.409 features. The tester must check the validity of the
coding of the resulting PDUs generated by the IUT.
The decoding tests allow the X.409 decoding features of an
implementation to be fully exercised using valid and invalid test
PDUs. Encoding tests only allow the valid behaviour of X.409
encoding to be checked.
8.3.2 Strategy for IPMS(P2) testing
Two categories of test are identified :
- IUT as originator
- IUT as recipient
With the IUT as originator, for each service element supported by
the implementation, tests are performed by:
- Invoking the service.
- The tester checking the validity of the resulting PDUs.
- Where appropriate the tester returning valid and invalid
response PDUs to the originator.
With the IUT as recipient, for each service element, tests are
performed by:
- The tester sending valid and invalid PDUs for that service.
- Observing the local reaction of the UA.
- Checking the validity of any further PDUs generated by the UA.
In order to avoid unnecessary duplication of test cases, IPM
service elements which are also MT service elements (for instance
Delivery Notification) are listed in the MTS(P1) test suite in
conjunction with the corresponding MT service elements, and not in
the IPMS(P2) test suite.
It is assumed that the testing of the MT layer is done through a
User Agent.
8.3.3 Strategy for MTS(P1) testing
When testing the operation of a MTS(P1) implementation five
categories of tests are identified.
- IUT as originator
- IUT as recipient
- IUT as relay
- IUT as relay recipient
- IUT as recipient/originator
With the IUT as originator, for each service element supported by
the implementation, tests are performed by:
- Invoking the service.
- Checking the validity of the resulting PDUs.
With the IUT as recipient, for each service element supported by
the implementation, tests are performed by:
- The tester sending valid and invalid PDUs for that service.
- Observing the local reaction of the UA.
- Checking the validity of any further PDUs generated by the UA.
With the IUT as relay, for each service element tests are
performed by:
- The tester sending valid and invalid PDUs for relaying.
- Checking the validity of the reaction of the IUT.
With the IUT as a relay recipient, for each service element tests
are performed by:
- Sending a set of valid and invalid PDUs destined for more than
one recipient. At least one of these recipients is attached to
the IUT and a further recipient is attached to a remote MTA such
that the IUT has to relay the message.
- Checking the validity of the reaction of the IUT as recipient.
- Checking that the PDUs that are relayed are not corrupted and
are modified appropriately.
With the IUT as a recipient/originator, for each service element
supported by the implementation, tests are performed by:
- Invoking the IUT to send a message to multiple recipients.
At least one recipient will be attached to the IUT itself and a
further recipient will be attached to a remote MTA.
- Checking the validity of the reaction of the IUT as recipient.
- Checking the validity of the PDUs transmitted by the IUT.
8.3.4 Strategy for RTS testing
The following testing phases are used:
(a) The connection/association establishment and negotiation phase.
The X.410 Recommendation allows different negotiable options and
the negotiation phase is tested exhaustively using valid and
invalid elements.
(b) The orderly release of the connection/association.
Only a few tests are required to check the correct
implementation of the RTS release features.
(c) The data transfer phase with token exchange.
The data transfer tests check:
- The correct operation of data transfer using the negotiated
values.
- The correct operation of token exchange.
- The correct confirmation of confirmed services.
- The correct reaction to invalid (eg non-negotiated) elements.
(d) Recovery
Tests are performed to check that an IUT can perform correct
recovery after:
- User aborts
- Provider aborts
- Exception reports
- Not acknowledged checkpoints
9. Structure of test suites
The IPMS(P2) and MTS(P1) test suites have a common structure which
differs from that of the RTS test suites.
9.1 Structure of IPMS(P2) and MTS(P1) test suites
The IPMS(P2) and MTS(P1) test suites consist of five groups of test
cases:
(a) Initial Tests
The Initial Tests check mandatory features in a small number of
test cases. They have been defined in order to check that the
implementation correctly supports the main mandatory features
and that it is sensible to continue with full conformance
testing.
(b) X.409 Tests
The X.409 Tests check the IUT's encoding and decoding of
protocol elements. Decoding tests are performed by transmitting
test PDUs to the IUT. Encoding tests are performed by checking
PDUs received from the IUT.
(c) Protocol Element tests
Protocol Element tests identify test purposes for every protocol
element in the IPMS(P2)/MTS(P1) protocols. This is important in
ensuring a full test coverage for the IPMS(P2)/MTS(P1)
protocols. Many of these tests are necessarily performed as part
of the Service Element tests.
(d) Service Element tests
Service Element tests check the capability of the IUT to support
the service elements in X.400. Some of these tests are carried
out in the initial tests and the X.409 tests. Service Element
tests include both tests for specific service elements and tests
for combinations of interdependent service elements.
(e) Additional Test
The Additional Test group checks features not covered in the
other test groups.
As indicated in (a) to (e) above the number of test cases has been
minimized by taking advantage of the fact that the performance of a
given test case may cover more than one test purpose. Figure
6/X.403 shows how some of the test purposes identified in a
particular test group may actually be achieved by test cases in
another group.
Figure 6/X.403 Structure of IPMS(P2) and MTS(P1) test suites.
9.2 Structure of RTS test suites
The RTS test suite is made up of five groups of test cases:
- Association Establishment Tests
- Association Release Tests
- Data Transfer Tests
- Association Recovery Tests
- X.409 Tests
The Association Establishment Tests check the negotiation of the
connection elements.
The Association Release Tests check the orderly release of
associations.
The Data Transfer Tests check that data is transferred correctly in
accordance with the values of the connection elements negotiated
during association establishment.
The Association Recovery Tests check that the IUT can recover from
breaks in connection both inside and outside activities.
The X.409 Tests check the IUT's encoding and decoding of Session
Service User Data.
10. Information to be supplied by implementors
10.1 Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS)
The Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS) is
information supplied by an implementor that specifies the protocol
features implemented in a Message Handling System.
This information is used during conformance testing:
- To check that the protocol features that have been implemented
are consistent with the conformance requirements, in terms of
optional and mandatory features, of the X.400 series
Recommendations.
- To select the originator tests to be executed. Recipient and
relay tests will be performed to check the behaviour of the
system even when it is requested to handle features that it does
not implement.
PICS proformas for IPMS(P2), MTS(P1) and RTS are shown in Annex B,
C and D. These proformas specify the information to be supplied by
an implementor concerning:
- The services that are supported for origination, reception and
relay functions.
- The protocol features that have been implemented in order to
support the services.
The IPMS (P2) PICS explicitly includes the MTS (P1) service elements
made available by the IPMS (P2). In order to avoid
duplication with the MTS (P1) test suite, tests for such MTS (P1)
service elements are not contained in the IPMS (P2) test
suite. Where the testing of MTS (P1) is not performed using a
UA, MTS (P1) tests may need to be repeated using a UA in
order to ensure conformance to the IPMS (P2).
10.2 Protocol Implementation Extra Information for Testing (PIXIT)
The Protocol Implementation eXtra Information for Testing (PIXIT)
is supplied by an implementor specifying information needed by a
tester to execute a test suite.
The IPMS(P2), MTS(P1) and RTS test suites define the behaviour of
the implementation in terms of abstract service primitives. In
order to invoke and observe this behaviour during test execution
the test operator must know how (if at all) these abstract service
primitives can be invoked or observed at the real accessible user
interface.
The IPMS(P2), MTS(P1) and RTS PIXIT proformas will list all the IUT
upper layer abstract service primitives used in the test
definitions and will ask the implementor to specify how these
primitives can be invoked or observed (if at all).
11. Test Notation
11.1 Definitions
The notation used to define the MHS test specifications makes use
of the following definitions:
(a) Test Suite
A set of test cases, possibly combined into nested test groups,
necessary to perform conformance testing of an implementation.
The test suites do not imply an order of execution.
(b) Test Group
A set of related test cases. Test groups may be nested to
provide a logical structuring of test cases.
(c) Test Case
Specifies the sequences of test events required to achieve the
purpose of the test and to assign a verdict "pass", "fail" or
"inconclusive".
(d) Test Event
An indivisible unit of test specification at the level of
abstraction of the specification (e.g. sending or receiving a
single PDU).
(e) User
A user-interface process or a computer application which makes
use of an MHS.
11.2 Notation
The Conformance Test Suites for Message Handling Systems use the
Tree and Tabular Combined Notation as described in Annexe A of this
Recommendation.
Each test suite specification is defined in six sections:
1 Introduction
This contains an overview describing the scope of the tests and
the structure of the test suite.
2 Summary of Test cases
This is a list of all tests giving the test identifier, the
test reference and a short title for each test case in the test
suite.
3 Declarations Part
Declares the names and types of all items to be used in
defining the test cases.
4 Dynamic Part
This is the main body of the test suite and defines test cases
in terms of trees of behaviour.
5 Constraints Part
Specifies the values of the ASPs and PDUs used in the Dynamic
Part.
6 Cross references
Provides an index to all values used in the main body of the
test suite.
12. Conformance Assessment Procedures
This Recommendation deals only with abstract test specifications
for Message Handling Systems. It does not deal with the realization
of these test specifications nor with their execution. This clause
in the Recommendation is purely for information purposes to
describe in general terms how real testing may be done.
12.1 Overview of the Procedure
The procedures needed to assess the conformance of an
implementation include:
- The completion of the PICS and PIXIT proformas by the supplier
of the implementation.
- The assessment of these documents.
- The selection and execution of test cases.
- The analysis of the results and the production of test reports.
Figure 7/X.403 The Conformance Assessment Procedure.
12.2 Analysis of PICS
The first phase in conformance assessment is to ensure that the
features claimed to be supported by an IUT comply with appropriate
conformance requirements. The conformance requirements for
IPMS(P2), MTS(P1) and RTS implementations are defined in clause 7
of this document. This check is performed by analysing the
information in the PICS documents.
12.3 Test Case Selection
The tests to be performed are selected primarily on the basis of
information in the PICS. For every supported feature claimed in the
PICS the corresponding test cases in the test suites are selected
and executed to check the correct implementation of these features
under an extensive range of valid and invalid conditions.
For non-supported features, some recipient test cases shall be
executed to explore the response of the IUT. Since in general the
X.400 (1984) Series of Recommendations do not define the expected
behaviour in these situations, these tests can be "passed" with
almost any behaviour apart from catastrophic failure by the IUT.
Information in the PIXIT may also provide some constraints on the
test cases that can be executed.
12.4 Execution of Tests
It is recommended that the testing of Message Handling Systems
should be done in the order of RTS, then MTS(P1) and then IPMS(P2)
testing.
However the order of test cases in the test suites does not imply
an order of execution. Apart from the general recommendation that
for IPMS(P2)/MTS(P1) the Initial Test Group should be executed
first, the order of execution of tests can be determined by the
test operators taking into account their test environment and test
tools.