Contributions to Hardware and Software Reliability
Contributions to Hardware and Software Reliability

Author: P. K. Kapur

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9789810237516

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With better computing facilities now available, there is an ever-increasing need to ensure that elegant theoretical results on hardware reliability are computationally available. This book discusses those aspects which have relevance to computing systems and those where numerical computation was a problem. It is also well known that nearly 70% of the cost goes into software development and hence software reliability assumes special importance. The book not only gives an extensive review of the literature on software reliability but also provides direction in developing models which are flexible and can be used in a variety of testing environments. Besides, several alternative formulations of the release time problem are discussed along with variants such as allocation of testing effort resources to different modules of the software, or the testing effort control problem. Software reliability has now emerged as an independent discipline and requires a strong partnership between computer scientists, statisticians and operational researchers. This aspect is broadly highlighted in the book.

Tutorial on Hardware and Software Reliability, Maintainability and Availability
Tutorial on Hardware and Software Reliability, Maintainability and Availability

Author: Norman F. Schneidewind

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2008-10-21

Total Pages: 54

ISBN-13: 0738156779

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Computer systems, whether hardware or software, are subject to failure. Precisely, what is a failure? It is defined as: The inability of a system or system component to perform a required function within specified limits. Afailure may be produced when a fault is encountered and a loss of the expected service to the user results [IEEE/AIAA P1633]. This brings us to the question of what is a fault? A fault is defect in the hardware or computer code that can be the cause of one or more failures. Software-based systems have become the dominant player in the computer systems world. Since it is imperative that computer systems operate reliably, considering the criticality of software, particularly in safety critical systems, the IEEE and AIAA commissioned the development of the Recommended Practice on Software Reliability. This tutorial serves as a companion document with the purpose of elaborating on key software reliability process practices in more detail than can be specified in the Recommended Practice. However, since other subjects like maintainability and availability are also covered, the tutorial can be used as a stand-alone document. While the focus of the Recommended Practice is software reliability, software and hardware do not operate in a vacuum. Therefore, both software and hardware are addressed in this tutorial in an integrated fashion. The narrative of the tutorial is augmented with illustrative solved problems. The recommended practice [IEEE P1633] is a composite of models and tools and describes the "what and how" of software reliability engineering. It is important for an organization to have a disciplined process if it is to produce high reliability software. This process uses a life cycle approach to software reliability that takes into account the risk to reliability due to requirements changes. A requirements change may induce ambiguity and uncertainty in the development process that cause errors in implementing the changes. Subsequently, these errors may propagate through later phases of development and maintenance. In view of the life cycle ramifications of the software reliability process, maintenance is included in this tutorial. Furthermore, because reliability and maintainability determine availability, the latter is also included.

Software Reliability
Software Reliability

Author: Hoang Pham

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2000-02-01

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 9789813083844

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Providing a general introduction to software reliability engineering, this book presents detailed analytical models, state-of-the-art techniques, methodologies, and tools used to assess the reliability of software systems. It also explores new directions of research in the field of software reliability engineering, including fault tolerant software and a new software reliability model that includes environmental factors.

Safety and Reliability of Software Based Systems
Safety and Reliability of Software Based Systems

Author: Roger Shaw

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 474

ISBN-13: 144710921X

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Safety and Reliability of Software Based Systems contains papers, presented at the twelfth annual workshop organised by the Centre for Software Reliability. Contributions come from different industries in many countries, and provide discussion and cross-fertilisation of ideas relevant to systems whose safety and/or reliability are of paramount concern. This book discusses safety cases and their varying roles in different industries; using measurement to improve reliability and safety of software-based systems; latest developments in managing, developing and assessing software intensive systems where reliability and/or safety are important considerations; and practical experiences of others in industry.

A Compatible Hardware/software Reliability Prediction Model
A Compatible Hardware/software Reliability Prediction Model

Author: Xavier Castillo

Publisher:

Published: 1981

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13:

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In this paper a new modeling methodology to characterize failure processes in Time-Sharing systems due to hardware transients and software errors is presented. The basic assumption made is that the instantaneous failure rate of a system resource can be approximated by a deterministic function of time plus a zero-mean stationary Gaussian process, both depending on the usage of the resource considered. The probability density function of the time to failure obtained under this assumption has a decreasing hazard function, partially explaining why other decreasing hazard function densities such as the Weibull fit experimental data so well. Furthermore, by considering the Operating System kernel as a system resource, this methodology sets the basis for independent methods of evaluating the contribution of software and hardware to system unreliability. The modeling methodology has been validated with the analysis of a real system. The predicted system behavior according to this methodology is compared with the predictions of other models such as the exponential, Weibull, and periodic failure rate. The implications of this methodology are discussed and some applications are given in the areas of Performance/Reliability modeling, software reliability evaluation, models incorporating permanent hardware faults, policy optimization, and design optimization. (Author).

System Software Reliability
System Software Reliability

Author: Hoang Pham

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2007-04-21

Total Pages: 442

ISBN-13: 1846282950

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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.

Software Reliability Handbook
Software Reliability Handbook

Author: Rook

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 1990-03-31

Total Pages: 578

ISBN-13: 9781851664009

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The reliability of software is becoming increasingly important to a large range of industries that rely on complex computer systems and machinery with computer control. The reliability of a system depends on both the hardware and the software that comprise the system. Although faults in design can continue to give problems, the issues and the techniques for meeting severe reliability requirements in hardware have been understood for some time. In the case of software both the techniques and a positive attitude of software developers to the achievement of reliability are much less well established. They are particularly crucial in the development of software dependent safety-critical systems.

Reliability Growth
Reliability Growth

Author: Panel on Reliability Growth Methods for Defense Systems

Publisher: National Academy Press

Published: 2015-03-01

Total Pages: 235

ISBN-13: 9780309314749

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A high percentage of defense systems fail to meet their reliability requirements. This is a serious problem for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the nation. Those systems are not only less likely to successfully carry out their intended missions, but they also could endanger the lives of the operators. Furthermore, reliability failures discovered after deployment can result in costly and strategic delays and the need for expensive redesign, which often limits the tactical situations in which the system can be used. Finally, systems that fail to meet their reliability requirements are much more likely to need additional scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and to need more spare parts and possibly replacement systems, all of which can substantially increase the life-cycle costs of a system. Beginning in 2008, DOD undertook a concerted effort to raise the priority of reliability through greater use of design for reliability techniques, reliability growth testing, and formal reliability growth modeling, by both the contractors and DOD units. To this end, handbooks, guidances, and formal memoranda were revised or newly issued to reduce the frequency of reliability deficiencies for defense systems in operational testing and the effects of those deficiencies. "Reliability Growth" evaluates these recent changes and, more generally, assesses how current DOD principles and practices could be modified to increase the likelihood that defense systems will satisfy their reliability requirements. This report examines changes to the reliability requirements for proposed systems; defines modern design and testing for reliability; discusses the contractor's role in reliability testing; and summarizes the current state of formal reliability growth modeling. The recommendations of "Reliability Growth" will improve the reliability of defense systems and protect the health of the valuable personnel who operate them.