Eliminate Software Disasters With a Self-Repairing OS

Overview:

Without software, computers are useless. Unfortunately, the more functional software gets the more complex it is, and the chance it will eventually encounter a crash increases in step. This is true regardless of where a computer is used, whether in homes, offices, or even in tiny embedded applications. System failure can occur at any point in the system at any time, and a big part of planning for such disasters includes preparations for a timely recovery from catastrophic software failures. With a little ingenuity and automation, business losses due to software failure can be practically tossed aside as a thing of the past.

Although reliance on computers is now ubiquitous, in industrial contexts these machines are literally of capital significance. Automated system crashes due to software failures are not mere annoyances; they are destructive events that cost money and may threaten a business' survival. Failures in large, networked systems may even spread, increasing the costs and danger. For these reasons, system recovery has become a pressing concern for any business that relies on extensive automation, but is of the greatest importance in remote installations like oil or gas pipelines, mines, offshore environments, or power substations. In places such as these, timely arrival at the equipment site may be difficult or even impossible, so effective disaster recovery plans that take these limitations into account are imperative. For software failures, automation is the answer. The key is to streamline system recoveries so they are rapid, simple, and reliable–particularly for mass deployments–and do not require the on-site presence of maintenance staff.

This white paper shows how just how easily an automated software recovery system can be implemented by exploring how it is designed and operates.