A Reliability and Comparative Analysis of Two Standby System Configurations

Equations are derived which enable one to calculate the system reliability for parallel or triple modular redundant systems with standby spares. Software error detection is introduced into the TMR/Spares system configuration in order to utilize fully all of the units. An indication of the sensitivity of the system reliability to an increase in the number of spares, partitioning, switching, variations in the powered and unpowered failures rates, and time is presented. A comparison of the parallel and the TMR/Spares system configurations, under similar conditions, is given.