Software-Controlled Fault Tolerance

Abstract

Traditional fault-tolerance techniques typically utilize resources ineffectively because they cannot adapt to the changing reliability and performance demands of a system. This paper proposes software-controlled fault tolerance, a concept allowing designers and users to tailor their performance and reliability for each situation. Several software-controllable fault-detection techniques are then presented: SWIFT, a software-only technique, and CRAFT, a suite of hybrid hardware/ software techniques. Finally, the paper introduces PROFiT, a technique which adjusts the level of protection and performance at fine granularities through software control. When coupled with software-controllable techniques like SWIFT and CRAFT, PROFiT offers attractive and novel reliability options. © 2005, ACM. All rights reserved.