Fault tolerance aspects in computerized systems

Fault tolerance has become a very important aspect when designing computerized systems. It was first implemented for basic elements, such as hardware and software modules, but has more recently been implemented for complex systems, such as databases, process control, transaction applications, telephone exchanges, aeroplanes and manufacturing. The reason for introducing fault tolerance has been to improve the reliability and availability of the systems, thus minimizing the risks of human and economical losses. The paper briefly describes some basic fault tolerance concepts and also illustrates how fault tolerance has been implemented in different applications, such as hardware, software, computer systems and manufacturing systems