Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity

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Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119118387
Total Pages : 728 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity by : Michael C. Jackson

Download or read book Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity written by Michael C. Jackson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-03-15 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the winner of the INCOSE Pioneer Award 2022 The world has become increasingly networked and unpredictable. Decision makers at all levels are required to manage the consequences of complexity every day. They must deal with problems that arise unexpectedly, generate uncertainty, are characterised by interconnectivity, and spread across traditional boundaries. Simple solutions to complex problems are usually inadequate and risk exacerbating the original issues. Leaders of international bodies such as the UN, OECD, UNESCO and WHO — and of major business, public sector, charitable, and professional organizations — have all declared that systems thinking is an essential leadership skill for managing the complexity of the economic, social and environmental issues that confront decision makers. Systems thinking must be implemented more generally, and on a wider scale, to address these issues. An evaluation of different systems methodologies suggests that they concentrate on different aspects of complexity. To be in the best position to deal with complexity, decision makers must understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches and learn how to employ them in combination. This is called critical systems thinking. Making use of over 25 case studies, the book offers an account of the development of systems thinking and of major efforts to apply the approach in real-world interventions. Further, it encourages the widespread use of critical systems practice as a means of ensuring responsible leadership in a complex world. The INCOSE Pioneer Award is presented to someone who, by their achievements in the engineering of systems, has contributed uniquely to major products or outcomes enhancing society or meeting its needs. The criteria may apply to a single outstanding outcome or a lifetime of significant achievements in effecting successful systems. Comments on a previous version of the book: Russ Ackoff: ‘the book is the best overview of the field I have seen’ JP van Gigch: ‘Jackson does a masterful job. The book is lucid ...well written and eminently readable’ Professional Manager (Journal of the Chartered Management Institute): ‘Provides an excellent guide and introduction to systems thinking for students of management’

Design and Safety Assessment of Critical Systems

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1439803323
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (398 download)

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Book Synopsis Design and Safety Assessment of Critical Systems by : Marco Bozzano

Download or read book Design and Safety Assessment of Critical Systems written by Marco Bozzano and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2010-11-12 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Safety-critical systems, by definition those systems whose failure can cause catastrophic results for people, the environment, and the economy, are becoming increasingly complex both in their functionality and their interactions with the environment. Unfortunately, safety assessments are still largely done manually, a time-consuming and error-prone

Safety-critical Computer Systems

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Author :
Publisher : Addison Wesley Publishing Company
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 480 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Safety-critical Computer Systems by : Neil Storey

Download or read book Safety-critical Computer Systems written by Neil Storey and published by Addison Wesley Publishing Company. This book was released on 1996 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasingly microcomputers are being used in applications where their correct operation is vital to ensure the safety of the public and the environment: from anti-lock braking systems in automobiles, to fly-by-wire aircraft, to shut-down systems at nuclear power plants. It is, therefore, vital that engineers be aware of the safety implications of the systems they develop. This book is an introduction to the field of safety-critical computer systems written for any engineer who uses microcomputers within real-time embedded systems. It assumes no prior knowledge of safety, or of any specific computer hardware or programming language. This text is intended for both engineering and computer science students, and for practising engineers within computer related industries. The approach taken is equally suited to engineers who consider computers from a hardware, software or systems viewpoint.

Mission-Critical and Safety-Critical Systems Handbook

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Author :
Publisher : Newnes
ISBN 13 : 0080942555
Total Pages : 593 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (89 download)

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Book Synopsis Mission-Critical and Safety-Critical Systems Handbook by : Kim Fowler

Download or read book Mission-Critical and Safety-Critical Systems Handbook written by Kim Fowler and published by Newnes. This book was released on 2009-11-19 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook provides a consolidated, comprehensive information resource for engineers working with mission and safety critical systems. Principles, regulations, and processes common to all critical design projects are introduced in the opening chapters. Expert contributors then offer development models, process templates, and documentation guidelines from their own core critical applications fields: medical, aerospace, and military. Readers will gain in-depth knowledge of how to avoid common pitfalls and meet even the strictest certification standards. Particular emphasis is placed on best practices, design tradeoffs, and testing procedures. - Comprehensive coverage of all key concerns for designers of critical systems including standards compliance, verification and validation, and design tradeoffs - Real-world case studies contained within these pages provide insight from experience

Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems

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Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118553381
Total Pages : 356 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (185 download)

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Book Synopsis Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems by : Marvin Rausand

Download or read book Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems written by Marvin Rausand and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-03-03 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the theory and methodology for reliability assessments of safety-critical functions through examples from a wide range of applications Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems: Theory and Applications provides a comprehensive introduction to reliability assessments of safety-related systems based on electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic (E/E/PE) technology. With a focus on the design and development phases of safety-critical systems, the book presents theory and methods required to document compliance with IEC 61508 and the associated sector-specific standards. Combining theory and practical applications, Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems: Theory and Applications implements key safety-related strategies and methods to meet quantitative safety integrity requirements. In addition, the book details a variety of reliability analysis methods that are needed during all stages of a safety-critical system, beginning with specification and design and advancing to operations, maintenance, and modification control. The key categories of safety life-cycle phases are featured, including strategies for the allocation of reliability performance requirements; assessment methods in relation to design; and reliability quantification in relation to operation and maintenance. Issues and benefits that arise from complex modern technology developments are featured, as well as: Real-world examples from large industry facilities with major accident potential and products owned by the general public such as cars and tools Plentiful worked examples throughout that provide readers with a deeper understanding of the core concepts and aid in the analysis and solution of common issues when assessing all facets of safety-critical systems Approaches that work on a wide scope of applications and can be applied to the analysis of any safety-critical system A brief appendix of probability theory for reference With an emphasis on how safety-critical functions are introduced into systems and facilities to prevent or mitigate the impact of an accident, this book is an excellent guide for professionals, consultants, and operators of safety-critical systems who carry out practical, risk, and reliability assessments of safety-critical systems. Reliability of Safety-Critical Systems: Theory and Applications is also a useful textbook for courses in reliability assessment of safety-critical systems and reliability engineering at the graduate-level, as well as for consulting companies offering short courses in reliability assessment of safety-critical systems.

Safety Critical Systems Handbook

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Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 0080967825
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (89 download)

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Book Synopsis Safety Critical Systems Handbook by : David J. Smith

Download or read book Safety Critical Systems Handbook written by David J. Smith and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2010-11-11 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Safety Critical Systems Handbook: A Straightfoward Guide to Functional Safety, IEC 61508 (2010 Edition) and Related Standards, Including Process IEC 61511 and Machinery IEC 62061 AND ISO 13849, Third Edition, offers a practical guide to the functional safety standard IEC 61508. The book is organized into three parts. Part A discusses the concept of functional safety and the need to express targets by means of safety integrity levels. It places functional safety in context, along with risk assessment, likelihood of fatality, and the cost of conformance. It also explains the life-cycle approach, together with the basic outline of IEC 61508 (known as BS EN 61508 in the UK). Part B discusses functional safety standards for the process, oil, and gas industries; the machinery sector; and other industries such as rail, automotive, avionics, and medical electrical equipment. Part C presents case studies in the form of exercises and examples. These studies cover SIL targeting for a pressure let-down system, burner control system assessment, SIL targeting, a hypothetical proposal for a rail-train braking system, and hydroelectric dam and tidal gates. - The only comprehensive guide to IEC 61508, updated to cover the 2010 amendments, that will ensure engineers are compliant with the latest process safety systems design and operation standards - Helps readers understand the process required to apply safety critical systems standards - Real-world approach helps users to interpret the standard, with case studies and best practice design examples throughout

Critical Systems Thinking

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0585346518
Total Pages : 304 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (853 download)

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Book Synopsis Critical Systems Thinking by : Robert L. Flood

Download or read book Critical Systems Thinking written by Robert L. Flood and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-08-28 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers comprehensive treatment of the latest developments in critical systems thinking and practice. The book features contributions by researchers at the prestigious Centre for Systems Studies at the University of Hull, England. The emphasis is on rigorous analysis of the wide range of approaches to problem solving reported in the research literature. This work will enhance the studies of researchers and students in the areas of systems problem solving, action research, management science, and operational research.

America's National Park System

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Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1442256842
Total Pages : 507 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (422 download)

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Book Synopsis America's National Park System by : Lary M. Dilsaver

Download or read book America's National Park System written by Lary M. Dilsaver and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-02-18 with total page 507 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in a fully updated edition, this invaluable reference work is a fundamental resource for scholars, students, conservationists, and citizens interested in America's national park system. The extensive collection of documents illustrates the system's creation, development, and management. The documents include laws that established and shaped the system; policy statements on park management; Park Service self-evaluations; and outside studies by a range of scientists, conservation organizations, private groups, and businesses. A new appendix includes summaries of pivotal court cases that have further interpreted the Park Service mission.

Critical Infrastructure System Security and Resiliency

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1466557508
Total Pages : 233 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (665 download)

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Book Synopsis Critical Infrastructure System Security and Resiliency by : Betty Biringer

Download or read book Critical Infrastructure System Security and Resiliency written by Betty Biringer and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2013-04-12 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Security protections for critical infrastructure nodes are intended to minimize the risks resulting from an initiating event, whether it is an intentional malevolent act or a natural hazard. With an emphasis on protecting an infrastructure's ability to perform its mission or function, Critical Infrastructure System Security and Resiliency presents a practical methodology for developing an effective protection system that can either prevent undesired events or mitigate the consequences of such events. Developed at Sandia National Labs, the authors’ analytical approach and methodology enables decision-makers and security experts to perform and utilize risk assessments in a manner that extends beyond the theoretical to practical application. These protocols leverage expertise in modeling dependencies—optimizing system resiliency for effective physical protection system design and consequence mitigation. The book begins by focusing on the design of protection strategies to enhance the robustness of the infrastructure components. The authors present risk assessment tools and necessary metrics to offer guidance to decision-makers in applying sometimes limited resources to reduce risk and ensure operational resiliency. Our critical infrastructure is vast and made up of many component parts. In many cases, it may not be practical or affordable to secure every infrastructure node. For years, experts—as a part of the risk assessment process—have tried to better identify and distinguish higher from lower risks through risk segmentation. In the second section of the book, the authors present examples to distinguish between high and low risks and corresponding protection measures. In some cases, protection measures do not prevent undesired events from occurring. In others, protection of all infrastructure components is not feasible. As such, this section describes how to evaluate and design resilience in these unique scenarios to manage costs while most effectively ensuring infrastructure system protection. With insight from the authors’ decades of experience, this book provides a high-level, practical analytical framework that public and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure can use to better understand and evaluate infrastructure security strategies and policies. Strengthening the entire homeland security enterprise, the book presents a significant contribution to the science of critical infrastructure protection and resilience.

The Casimir Effect in Critical Systems

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9789810218454
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (184 download)

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Book Synopsis The Casimir Effect in Critical Systems by : Michael Krech

Download or read book The Casimir Effect in Critical Systems written by Michael Krech and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 1994 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The well-known Casimir effect has a direct analogue in systems near critical or multicritical points. Critical fluctuations in systems confined to finite geometries lead to attractive or repulsive forces between system boundaries. These forces influence the formation of wetting layers of liquid 4He or binary liquid mixtures near critical points in these fluids. With the aid of recently developed versions of the atomic force microscope, these forces appear to be directly measurable. The book contains an introduction to the physics of critical phenomena and reviews the most recent developments in the theory of finite-size scaling. A detailed discussion of the Casimir effect and related questions follows. The analysis of quantitative effects on the specific heat of critical films, the formation of wetting layers, and force measurements finish the presentation. This is perhaps the first book on the critical Casimir effect.

Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment

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Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470089032
Total Pages : 300 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment by : Peter M. Curtis

Download or read book Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment written by Peter M. Curtis and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2007-04-13 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latest tested and proven strategies to maintain business resiliency and sustainability for our ever-growing global digital economy Here is a comprehensive study of the fundamentals of mission critical systems, which are designed to maintain ultra-high reliability, availability, and resiliency of electrical, mechanical, and digital systems and eliminate costly downtime. Readers learn all the skills needed to design, fine tune, operate, and maintain mission critical equipment and systems. Practical in focus, the text helps readers configure and customize their designs to correspond to their organizations' unique needs and risk tolerance. Specific strategies are provided to deal with a wide range of contingencies from power failures to human error to fire. In addition, the author highlights measures that are mandated by policy and regulation. The author of this text has worked in mission critical facilities engineering for more than twenty years, serving clients in banking, defense, utilities, energy, and education environments. His recommendations for maintaining essential operations are based on firsthand experience of what works and what does not. Most chapters in this text concentrate on an individual component of the mission critical system, including standby generators, automatic transfer switches, uninterruptible power supplies, and fuel, fire, and battery systems. For each component, the author sets forth applications, available models, design choices, standard operating procedures, emergency action plans, maintenance procedures, and applicable codes and standards. Extensive use of photographs and diagrams illustrates how individual components and integrated systems work. With the rapid growth of e-commerce and 24/7 business operations, mission critical systems have moved to the forefront of concerns among both private and public operations. Facilities engineers, senior administrators, and business continuity professionals involved in information technology and data center design should consult this text regularly to ensure they have done everything they can to protect and sustain their operations to reduce human error, equipment failures, and other critical events. Adapted from material the author has used in academic and professional training programs, this guide is also an ideal desktop reference and textbook.

Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319295101
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

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Book Synopsis Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems by : Cyrille Artho

Download or read book Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems written by Cyrille Artho and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-02-02 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems, FTSCS 2015, held in Paris, France, in November 2015. The 15 revised full papers presented together with one invited talk and two tool papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 41 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on timed systems; railway systems; fault tolerance; automotive systems; software and systems analysis; tools.

Critical Systems: Formal Methods and Automated Verification

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319459430
Total Pages : 255 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (194 download)

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Book Synopsis Critical Systems: Formal Methods and Automated Verification by : Maurice H. ter Beek

Download or read book Critical Systems: Formal Methods and Automated Verification written by Maurice H. ter Beek and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-09-12 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Joint 21st International Workshop on Formal Methods for Industrial Critical Systems and the 16th International Workshop on Automated Verification of Critical Systems, FMICS-AVoCS 2016, held in Pisa, Italy, in September 2016.The 11 full papers and 4 short papers presented together with one invited talk were carefully reviewed and selected from 24 submissions. They are organized in the following sections: automated verification techniques; model-based system analysis; and applications and case studies.

Requirements Engineering for Safety-Critical Systems

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1000793192
Total Pages : 229 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis Requirements Engineering for Safety-Critical Systems by : Luiz Eduardo G. Martins

Download or read book Requirements Engineering for Safety-Critical Systems written by Luiz Eduardo G. Martins and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-09-01 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Safety-Critical Systems (SCS) are increasingly present in people's daily activities. In the means of transport, in medical treatments, in industrial processes, in the control of air, land, maritime traffic, and many other situations, we use and depend on SCS. The requirements engineering of any system is crucial for the proper development of the same, and it becomes even more relevant for the development of SCS. Requirements Engineering is a discipline that focuses on the development of techniques, methods, processes, and tools that assist in the design of software and systems, covering the activities of elicitation, analysis, modeling and specification, validation, and management of requirements. The complete specification of system requirements establishes the basis for its architectural design. It offers a description of the functional and quality aspects that should guide the implementation and system evolution. In this book, we discuss essential elements of requirements engineering applied to SCS, such as the relationship between safety/hazard analysis and requirements specification, a balance between conservative and agile methodologies during SCS development, the role of requirements engineering in safety cases, and requirements engineering maturity model for SCS. This book provides relevant insights for professionals, students, and researchers interested in improving the quality of the SCS development process, making system requirements a solid foundation for improving the safety and security of future systems.

System Sustainment: Acquisition And Engineering Processes For The Sustainment Of Critical And Legacy Systems

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9811256861
Total Pages : 387 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (112 download)

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Book Synopsis System Sustainment: Acquisition And Engineering Processes For The Sustainment Of Critical And Legacy Systems by : Peter Sandborn

Download or read book System Sustainment: Acquisition And Engineering Processes For The Sustainment Of Critical And Legacy Systems written by Peter Sandborn and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2022-08-16 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Sustainment' (as commonly defined by industry and government), is comprised of maintenance, support, and upgrade practices that sustain or improve the performance of a system and maximize the availability of goods and services while minimizing their cost and footprint or, more simply, the capacity of a system to endure. Sustainment is a multi-trillion-dollar enterprise for critical systems, in both government (infrastructure and defense) and industry (transportation, industrial controls, data centers, and energy generation).This book is a mix of engineering, operations research, and policy sciences intended to provide students with a thorough understanding of the concept of sustainability and sustainable product life-cycles, and an appreciation of the importance of sustaining critical systems. It starts from the key attributes for system sustainment that includes data analytics, engineering analysis and the public policy needed to support the development of technologies, processes, and frameworks required for the management of sustainable processes and practices. The specific topics covered include: acquisition of critical systems, reliability, maintenance, availability, readiness, inventory management, supply-chain management and risks, contracting for sustainment, and various analysis methodologies (discounted cash flow analysis, discrete-event simulation and Monte Carlo methods). Practice problems are included at the end of each chapter.

Directions in Safety-Critical Systems

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 144712037X
Total Pages : 290 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (471 download)

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Book Synopsis Directions in Safety-Critical Systems by : Felix Redmill

Download or read book Directions in Safety-Critical Systems written by Felix Redmill and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 0 e This is the proceedings of the first annual symposium of the Safety-critical Systems Club (The Watershed Media Centre, Bristol, 9-11 February 1993), which provided a forum for exploring and discussing ways of achieving safety in computer systems to be used in safety-critical industrial applications. The book is divided into three parts, which correspond with the themes of the three days of the symposium. The first - Experience from Around Europe - brings together information on developments in safety-critical systems outside the UK. The second - Current Research - consists of papers on large projects within the UK, which involve collaboration between academia and industry, providing techniques and methods to enhance safety. The final part - Achieving and Evaluating Safety - explores how methods already in use in other domains may be applied to safety, and examines the relationships between safety and other attributes such as quality and security. The papers identify the current problems and issues of interest in the field of safety-critical software-based systems, and provide valuable up-to-date material for those in both academia and industry. The academic will benefit from information about current research complimentary to his own, and the industrialist will learn of the technologies which will soon be available and where to find them.

Innovative Technologies for Dependable OTS-Based Critical Systems

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 8847027721
Total Pages : 213 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (47 download)

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Book Synopsis Innovative Technologies for Dependable OTS-Based Critical Systems by : Domenico Cotroneo

Download or read book Innovative Technologies for Dependable OTS-Based Critical Systems written by Domenico Cotroneo and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-01-24 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The demand for large-scale dependable, systems, such as Air Traffic Management, industrial plants and space systems, is attracting efforts of many word-leading European companies and SMEs in the area, and is expected to increase in the near future. The adoption of Off-The-Shelf (OTS) items plays a key role in such a scenario. OTS items allow mastering complexity and reducing costs and time-to-market; however, achieving these goals by ensuring dependability requirements at the same time is challenging. CRITICAL STEP project establishes a strategic collaboration between academic and industrial partners, and proposes a framework to support the development of dependable, OTS-based, critical systems. The book introduces methods and tools adopted by the critical systems industry, and surveys key achievements of the CRITICAL STEP project along four directions: fault injection tools, V&V of critical systems, runtime monitoring and evaluation techniques, and security assessment.