Computing System Reliability

Computing systems are of growing importance because of their wide use in many areas including those in safety-critical systems. This book describes the basic models and approaches to the reliability analysis of such systems. An extensive review is provided and models are categorized into different types. Some Markov models are extended to the analysis of some specific computing systems such as combined software and hardware, imperfect debugging processes, failure correlation, multi-state systems, heterogeneous subsystems, etc. One of the aims of the presentation is that based on the sound analysis and simplicity of the approaches, the use of Markov models can be better implemented in the computing system reliability.

Computer systems have become an important element of the world economy, with billions of dollars spent each year on development, manufacture, operation, and maintenance. Combining coverage of computer system reliability, safety, usability, and other related topics into a single volume, Computer System Reliability: Safety and Usability eliminates th

Enhance your hardware/software reliability Enhancement of system reliability has been a major concern of computer users and designers ¦ and this major revision of the 1982 classic meets users' continuing need for practical information on this pressing topic. Included are case studies of reliable systems from manufacturers such as Tandem, Stratus, IBM, and Digital, as well as coverage of special systems such as the Galileo Orbiter fault protection system and AT&T telephone switching processors.

With computers becoming embedded as controllers in everything from network servers to the routing of subway schedules to NASA missions, there is a critical need to ensure that systems continue to function even when a component fails. In this book, bestselling author Martin Shooman draws on his expertise in reliability engineering and software engineering to provide a complete and authoritative look at fault tolerant computing. He clearly explains all fundamentals, including how to use redundant elements in system design to ensure the reliability of computer systems and networks. Market: Systems and Networking Engineers, Computer Programmers, IT Professionals.

This volume covers wide areas of interest such as life cycle costing, microcomputers, common-cause failures and space computers. Every effort is made to present difficult material with the aid of an example along with its solution. The material covered is summarized at the end of each chapter. The information is written in a format that allows readers to learn and better understand the philosophy of reliability in computer system design. At the same time, it tests their comprehension through listed exercises.

Computer software reliability has never been so important. Computers are used in areas as diverse as air traffic control, nuclear reactors, real-time military, industrial process control, security system control, biometric scan-systems, automotive, mechanical and safety control, and hospital patient monitoring systems. Many of these applications require critical functionality as software applications increase in size and complexity. This book is an introduction to software reliability engineering and a survey of the state-of-the-art techniques, methodologies and tools used to assess the reliability of software and combined software-hardware systems. Current research results are reported and future directions are signposted. This text will interest: graduate students as a course textbook introducing reliability engineering software; reliability engineers as a broad, up-to-date survey of the field; and researchers and lecturers in universities and research institutions as a one-volume reference.

A research project to investigate the design and construction of reliable computing systems was initiated by B. Randell at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1972. In over ten years of research on system reliability, a substantial number of papers have been produced by the members of this project. These papers have appeared in a variety of journals and conference proceedings and it is hoped that this book will prove to be a convenient reference volume for research workers active in this important area. In selecting papers published by past and present members of this project, I have used the following criteria: a paper is selected if it is concerned with fault tolerance and is not a review paper and was published before 1983. I have used these criteria (with only one or two exceptions!) in order to present a collection of papers with a common theme and, at the same time, to limit the size of the book to a reasonable length. The papers have been grouped into seven chapters. The first chapter introduces fundamental concepts of fault tolerance and ends with the earliest Newcastle paper on reliability. The project perhaps became well known after the invention of recovery blocks - a simple yet effective means of incorporating fault tolerance in software. The second chapter contains papers on recovery blocks, starting with the paper which first introduced the concept.