COE 523: Fault Tolerant Computer Systems (3-0-3)

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Syllabus

Catalog Description

Text Book:

Course Objectives:

(1) To introduce students to the theory of reliable and fault-tolerant computer systems.

(2) To expose students to the fundamental concepts in designing reliable computer systems.

(3) To introduce students to the basic design aspects of reliable and fault-tolerance multicomputer networks.

(4) To introduce students to the basic design aspects of reliable and fault-tolerance ATM/high speed networks.

(5) To introduce students to the basic design aspects of reliable and fault-tolerance Telecommunication networks.

Course Learning Outcomes:

(1) Grasp the basic elements in the theory of reliable and fault-tolerant computer systems.

(2) Grasp the fundamental concepts in designing reliable computer systems.

 
Topics:
 

1. 
 Module 1: The Theory of Reliable Systems 	
(6 classes) 

Fundamental concepts, faults and their manifestation, reliability techniques, 
maintainability and diagnostic techniques, evaluation techniques, 
application of modeling techniques to systems design, 
and financial considerations.



2. 
 Module 2: The Practice of Reliable Systems Design   	
(6 classes) 

Fundamental concepts, case studies. Students will be asked to investigate 
the fault-tolerant capability of a number of computing systems and make 
presentations
on these.



3. 
 Module 3: Fault-Tolerance and Reliability of Multicomputer Networks   
(6 classes) 

Investigation into the fault-tolerance and reliability aspects of multicomputer
 networks. Direct networks, e.g. Ring and its variance, Hypercubes, and Meshes.
Indirect networks, e.g. Multi-stage interconnection networks. Reliability 
enhancement and fault-tolerant routing techniques for those networks are 
also discussed and analyzed.



4. 
 Module 4: Fault-tolerance and Reliability of ATM
Networks 	
(6 classes) 

Investigate the fault-tolerance and reliability aspects of space-division
ATM.



5. 
 Module 5: FT and Reliability Design of General Graph
Networks 	
(4 classes) 

Discuss the design aspects of fault-tolerant and reliable general graph
networks



6. 
 Module 6: FT VLSI Circuits
(4 classes) 

Failure modes in VLSI/WSI circuits, self-checking circuits design and some 
coding techniques are introduced. 
The use of local, global, and hierarchical hardware redundancy techniques 
for reliability and yield enhancement of VLSI/WSI processor arrays are 
discussed and analyzed. Fault-tolerance and reliability aspects of
the emerging Neural Networks are introduced.




 

Computer Usage:

Laboratory Experiments:

Grading Policy (Tentative):