Network Analysis and the Reliability Assessment of Systems.
Abstract
A self-contained treatment for the reliability assessment of systems is presented. Testing and/or analysis is used to derive estimates of subsystem reliability. Network analysis is used to determine the system reliability from the subsystem reliability. Examples of a number of applications are presented for the ARPA computer network. The problem of optimum allocation of a fixed budget in system assessment/hardening/design problems is addressed, and approaches are proposed. These methods can be used to reduce the high cost associated with system level testing. Some problems that could lead to theoretical extensions are presented, and approaches are proposed. While the technology discussed herein is slanted toward communications systems in application, it should be noted that it is in no way restricted to systems of that type. It may be applied equally well to the reliability assessment of any system which can be divided into statistically independent subsystems and described in terms which relate the system function(s) to the ability of the subsystems to perform their respective functions. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0781045
Entities
People
- William P. Dotson Jr
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory