Test Coverage for Network Configurations

Explore a groundbreaking tool for network configuration testing in this 16-minute conference talk from NSDI '23. Discover NetCov, the first-ever solution designed to reveal which network configuration lines are tested by a suite of network tests. Learn how this innovative tool helps network engineers enhance test suites and boost network reliability. Delve into the challenges of developing NetCov, particularly in inferring configuration elements' contributions to tested data plane elements, even in non-local or non-deterministic scenarios. Understand the information flow graph-based model and scalable inference method employed by NetCov to capture various forms of contributions. Examine a case study of NetCov's application to Internet2, a nation-wide backbone network in the USA, revealing that only 26% of configuration lines were covered by an existing test suite. Discover how NetCov's feedback facilitates the creation of new tests, significantly improving coverage with minimal additions.