The introduction of some new practices into software organizations can be trying, arduous tasks. Software Reliability is a practice that fits in this category. A well thought out strategy needs to be used to successjidly and rapidly install Software Reliability Engineering (SRE) in a software organization. The successfid practitioner must be prepared to sell SRE, retain consultants, train project personnel, demonstrate it's effectiveness, provide measurements of the results, and advertise them. This panel, composed of four members with practical industry experience, will examine all of these areas as it explores the question: "What are the steps for bringing SRE into my organization or company?"

Software reliability is a crucial performance factor of telecommunications network elements and operational systems. This paper describes the state-of-practice software reliability engineering (SRE) methods that we selected and organized into an SRE framework for use at Bellcore. This framework comprises several SRE methods: determination of a reliability objective for a product, development and use of operational profiles, reliability modeling and estimation (prediction) to manage system testing, estimation of the product's reliability in the field, and subsequent validation of this estimate using actual field data. Reliability modeling involves assessment of several models according to their predictive accuracy and the use of the most accurate model for reliability estimation. We have successfully tested this framework on several pilot projects. As part of these projects, we tested the usefulness of three different reliability modeling tools [the Economic Stop-Test Model (ESTM), Computer-Aided Software Reliability Estimation (CASRE) and Software Reliability Modelling Programs (SRMP)], as well as several different system test time metrics. This paper describes one of these pilot projects, involving a large operational system for networks.

Reliability of software used in telecommunications networks is a crucial determinant of network performance. Software reliability (SR) estimation is an important element of a network product's reliability management. In particular, SR estimation can guide the product's system testing process and releasability decisions. SR estimation is performed using an appropriate SR estimation model. However, the art of SR estimation is still evolving. There are many available SR estimation models to select from, with different models being appropriate for different applications. Although there is no "ultimate" and "universal" SR model on the horizon (and there may not be one in the foreseeable future), methods have been developed for selecting a trustworthy SR model for each application. The present authors have been analyzing and adapting these methods for applicability to network software. Their results indicate that there already exist methods for SR model selection which are practical to use for telecommunications software. If utilized, these methods can promote significant improvements in SR management. The paper presents the results to date.>