TrustSoft
TrustSoft
TrustSoft - DFG Research Training Group on Trustworthy Systems
Start of the project 2005, extension 2008, end of project 2009
Description of the
Software is playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Examples include the increasing prevalence of complex embedded software control systems in automotive engineering, internet-based e-commerce systems or information systems in public authorities (eGovernment) and healthcare (eHealth).
However, the increasing dependence on software is also reflected in the severity of the consequences of errors in software systems. The successful use of these systems therefore depends to a large extent on users' trust in such systems. The software industry has recognised this problem and is planning to develop so-called "trusted computing" platforms in cross-manufacturer initiatives. However, current industry initiatives are limited to the security problem in the sense of security. However, trustworthiness is determined by much more far-reaching properties: Security in the sense of safety, correctness, availability, reliability, compliance with data protection guidelines, time behaviour and certification of these software systems must be guaranteed so that users can place the necessary trust in them.
Unmasking Fault Tolerance - Masking vs. Nonmasking Fault Tolerance
Fault tolerance is not only important in critical scenarios where people depend on the robustness of a system, but also in application areas such as soft real-time applications. Therefore, the goal when designing fault-tolerant systems is not only a high degree of fault tolerance. Competitiveness also plays an important role. A particular challenge in the design of fault-tolerant systems is the verification of a minimum level of fault tolerance in systems that consist of a large number of components. Further challenges arise from new requirements, such as low energy consumption, which may even counteract other target functions such as fault tolerance.
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Reliable data management in dynamic distributed systems
The dynamics in a distributed system are described by the dynamics of the participating components: new processes can join or leave the system voluntarily at any time. A fault model reflects, among other things, the type and nature of the failure, the length of the failure and the repair time. Currently, dynamic faulty distributed systems are described by special fault models that attempt to cover the dynamic aspect.
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