Abstract: A sequential sampling tool that executes advanced sequential protocols on a portable platform. The system includes a computer and software code compiled with well-known statistical and graphical user interface packages. The sampling and testing tool supports SPRT, 2-SPRT, and sequential Bayes sampling protocols for a variety of statistical distributions, including Bernoulli, binomial, Poisson, negative binomial, and normal distributions. The user has easy access to properties of the statistical design, such as average sample size curve, the operating characteristic curve, and the Type-1 and Type-2 error rates. The system also displays two boundary lines for the design, and allows the user to plot and visualize each observation point one-at-a-time as each sample unit is taken and counted.

Abstract: A method and system for improving the reliability of a system, such as a software system, is disclosed. “Service measurements” that are routinely measured and monitored in connection with the operation of systems (e.g., QOS (Quality Of Service) measurements) are utilized in the reliability architecture of the system. Service measurements include a number of alternative data types, such as transactions completed, messages received, messages sent, calls completed, bytes transmitted, jobs processed, etc. Any operations of the system that are typically monitored for other purposes can be utilized in the reliability architecture of the present invention. Most systems track these types of statistics as, for example, part of their billing procedures or part of their performance bench-marking or QOS processes.