In order for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) to work, protocol implementations must be tested as to their conformance to the specifications they purport to adhere. The International Standards Organization (ISO) has denned a set of abstract test methods for the conformance testing of computer communication protocols. The Ferry Clip concept is a test approach to realize those test methods. It is also a powerful tool that can be used for the diagnostic testing of communication protocols. This

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... esis describes the design and implementation of a Ferry Clip based test system in three different environments - UNIX, MPT and OSI-PTE. A method for structuring the system into a specialized set of modules is presented. Such a structuring scheme can considerably reduce the effort required to test different protocol implementations. Implementation issues encountered in building the system under the different hardware/software environments are discussed. The versatility of the Ferry Clip approach is further illustrated by presenting a scheme for its use in Multi-layer and Multi-party testing.