A SYSTEM DEBUGGING MODEL
Abstract
The problem discussed concerns the 'debugging' of a new complex system during the initial period of its total life. During this period failures and errors are corrected as they occur, with resulting improvement in subsequent performance of the system. One mathematical idealization of this process leads to the assumption that system failure rate is decreasing with time. In practice, the debugging phase is considered completed when the failure rate reaches an equilibrium or constant value. Models are formulated for this phenomenon. Maximum likelihood estimates are obtained for relevant failure rate functions and for the end of the debugging period. A conservative upper confidence bound on the stable failure rate is obtained. The problem is treated from a point of view which lies between a completely nonparametric approach in which no information is assumed available concerning the form of the distribution, and a parametric outlook in which the form of the distribution is assumed known but a finite number of parameters need to be estimated.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0689100
Entities
People
- Ernest M. Scheuer
- Frank Proschan
- Richard E. Barlow
Organizations
- University of California, Berkeley