Assessor Resource

ICAPRG503A
Debug and monitor applications

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: April 2024


This unit addresses the knowledge and processes necessary for debugging and monitoring software applications.

This unit is relevant to those who work as developers, testers and support engineers who use logging and tracing techniques to identify software problems and monitor systems.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to debug and monitor a software application.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

create error logging framework topersist error logs, debug and trace an application, and plan a performance-monitoring strategy

use debugging techniques and tools, and profiling tools and analyse performance issues.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

client and server system

sufficient privileges to access and use performance monitoring tools in client and server systems

debugging tools

specific tools and licences, depending on particular platform

appropriate learning and assessment support when required

modified equipment for people with special needs.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

written or verbal questioning of debugging, diagnostics and monitoring strategy

evaluation of candidate’s logging framework and custom event log for an application

direct observation of candidate using an integrated development environment (IDE) for code development and debugging and the monitoring applications.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.

In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

analytical skills to:

evaluate and compare results from different profiling tools

evaluate log file information and develop solutions as a result of analysis

communication skills to recommend an approach to debugging and performance issues

initiative and enterprise skills to identify potential improvements to the application performance

literacy skills to:

read log files

write log messages

numeracy skills to read and interpret the monitoring applications data

research skills to keep up-to-date with monitoring and debugging technologies and tools

technical skills to:

use software development tools

write code to create custom event log.

Required knowledge

basic knowledge of:

computer hardware, networking and components

database-management systems

object-oriented programming

open-source development tools

maths at a basic level

procedures for developing small-size applications

software development life cycle (SDLC).

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Logging framework may include:

Java logging framework:

Apache Commons Logging

Java Logging application programming interface (API)

Log4J

SLF4J

.NET logging and tracing tools:

C# Logger

DebugWriter

Log4net

LogThis

Logview4net

Microsoft’s Enterprise Library

NetTrace

TrafficMonitor.

Level may include:

debug

error

fatal

information

trace

warning.

Tools may include:

Eclipse debugger

Firebug (JavaScript debugger)

Java debugger

NetBeans debugger

Visual Studio debugger

WinDBG, NTSD, and CDB to debug .NET applications.

Profiling tools may include:

CLR profiler

Microsoft operations manager

open-source profilers in Java:

Cougaar Memory Profiler

Extensible Java Profiler

JMP

NetBeans Profiler

TomcatProbe

structured query language (SQL) profiler

system monitor

Visual Studio profiler.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Determine the logging framework for writing text messages at a certain level or priority to log files or sending data to monitoring applications 
Create a custom event log for an application 
Analyse the logs to check the state of the running application 
Apply basic debugging techniques such as breakpoints and stepping through and over code and stack trace 
Identify and use tools to debug software applications 
Write code for debugging (print, assert and stop statements) 
Identify and use profiling tools to verify the parts of the system that consume the most resources, such as random access memory (RAM), central processing unit (CPU) and time 
Analyse performance issues and apply changes to improve the performance of the application 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICAPRG503A - Debug and monitor applications
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

ICAPRG503A - Debug and monitor applications

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: