DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RTCADO178A AND RTCADO178B

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DIFFERENCES BETWEENRTCA/DO-178A AND RTCA/DO-178B

• Capt Martin Mongeon
• NDHQ Ottawa/DAEPM(TH) 6-3-5
• CH146 Software Engineering Officer
• CFICSE Oct 99

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RTCA/DO-178

• Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and
  Equipment Certification

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Aim
To outline the differences between RTCA/DO-178B
and RTCA/DO-178A
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Outline

• Source of Information
• FAA Advisory Circulars and Notices
• Differences between DO-178A and DO-178B
• Conclusion and Recommendations

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Source of Information

• RTCA/DO-178A
• RTCA/DO-178B
• articles
• DO-178A compared to DOD-STD-2167A
• DO-178B and the SEI SW-CMM
• The Guidance and Control Software Project A
  Software Engineering Case Study
• FAA Advisory Circulars and Notices

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Source of Information

• RTCA/DO-178A
• RTCA/DO-178B
• articles
• DO-178A compared to DOD-STD-2167A
• DO-178B and the SEI SW-CMM
• The Guidance and Control Software Project A
  Software Engineering Case Study
• FAA Advisory Circulars and Notices

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FAA Advisory Circulars and Notices

• Advisory Circulars
• AC-115B (RTCA, Inc. Document RTCA/DO-178B)
• Notices
• N 8110.78 (Guidelines for the Approval of
  Software Changes in Legacy Systems using RTCA
  DO-178B)
• N 8110.83 (Guidelines for the Qualification of
  Software Tools using RTCA/DO-178B)

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Differences between DO-178A and DO-178B
DO-178A
purpose is to describe techniques and
methods that may be used for the orderly
development and management of software for
airborne digital computer-based equipment and
systems
DO-178B
purpose is to provide guidelines for the
production of software for airborne systems and
equipment that performs its intended function
with a level of confidence in safety that
complies with airworthiness requirements
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Summary of DO-178B

• complete re-write
• process-oriented
• new software levels
• A to E vs. 1 to 3
• independent of life cycle
• three process categories required in any life
  cycle
• software planning process
• software development processes (requirements,
  design, coding, and integration)
• integral processes (verification, QA, CM, and
  certification liaison)

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Summary of DO-178B cont.

• Software verification section emphasizes
  requirements-based testing
• deliverables and other data items are further
  defined
• additional topics
• use of previously developed software
• tool qualification
• use of alternative methods

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Software Levels

• DO-178A
• Level 1 Critical
• Level 2 Essential
• Level 3 Non-Essential

• DO-178B
• Level A Catastrophic
• Level B Hazardous/Severe-Major
• Level C Major
• Level D Minor
• Level E No Effect

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Deliverables

• DO-178A
• Configuration Index Document
• Software Requirements Document
• Design Description Document
• Programmers Manual
• Software Configuration Management and Quality
  Assurance Plans
• Source Listing, Source Code, Executable Object
  Code
• Support/Development System Configuration
• Accomplishment Summary
• Software Verification Plan, Procedures and
  Results
• Software Design Standards
• System Requirements
• Plan for Software Aspects of Certification

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Deliverables cont.

• DO-178A
• Configuration Index Document
• Software Requirements Document
• Design Description Document
• Programmers Manual
• Software Configuration Management and Quality
  Assurance Plans
• Source Listing, Source Code, Executable Object
  Code
• Support/Development System Configuration
• Accomplishment Summary
• Software Verification Plan, Procedures and
  Results
• Software Design Standards
• System Requirements
• Plan for Software Aspects of Certification

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Deliverables cont.

• DO-178A
• Configuration Index Document
• Software Requirements Document
• Design Description Document
• Programmers Manual
• Software Configuration Management and Quality
  Assurance Plans
• Source Listing, Source Code, Executable Object
  Code
• Support/Development System Configuration
• Accomplishment Summary
• Software Verification Plan, Procedures and
  Results
• Software Design Standards
• System Requirements
• Plan for Software Aspects of Certification

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Deliverables cont.

• DO-178B
• software life cycle data desirable attributes
• unambiguous, complete, verifiable, consistent,
  modifiable, traceable
• software life cycle data control categories
• CC1 and CC2 (depends on software criticality
  level A to E)

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Deliverables cont.

• DO-178B
• software life cycle data desirable attributes
• unambiguous, complete, verifiable, consistent,
  modifiable, traceable
• software life cycle data control categories
• CC1 and CC2 (depends on software criticality
  level A to E)

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SCM Process Objectives

• Configuration Identification
• Baselines
• Traceability
• Problem Reporting
• Change Control - integrity and identification
• Change Control - tracking
• Change Review
• Configuration Status Accounting
• Retrieval
• Protection Against Unauthorized Changes
• Media Selection, Refreshing, Duplication
• Release
• Data Retention

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FAA Notice 8110.78

• set of coordinated objectives/collection of
  unrelated goal statements
• emphasis on objectives/documentation
• software testing most visible difference
• classification of software levels
• qualification of tools

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Conclusion and recommendations
Maintain DO-178A as the basis for software
certification and deliverables
Move to DO-178B in a phased approach
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Questions?