On the effectiveness of fault-tolerance techniques in parallel associative database processors

摘要

Fault-tolerance is systematically applied to the organization of a parallel associative (content addressable) database processor. Storage areas are protected by duplication and by error detecting and/or correcting codes. A duplex Checking Unit is introduced to check the reading and writing operations. Individual Area Processors are employed to search the storage areas. They are protected by duplexing or triplexing with or without sparing. Effectiveness of these fault-tolerance techniques is assessed by means of reliability predictions for a 100-storage area system. The UCLA ARIES reliability modeling program is employed to obtain the reliability predictions. Major gains in system reliability are demonstrated, and relative effectiveness of alternate approaches is analyzed.