Network failure characteristic analysis

With the increasing popularity of network, network failure has already become a hot topic recently. This paper summarizes the conception of network failure according to network functions. It is defined as the state or event, in which the network cannot transmit material, energy or information timely, completely and correctly according to customer requirements. Based on dialectic and systems science, this paper explains the transformation relationships between different network states, and expresses the drive of the transformation. Six main characteristics of network failure, namely universality, complexity, emergence, relativity, hierarchy and dynamic, are expounded separately. These characteristics form the basis of failure prevention and control. The contribution of this paper is to lay the foundation for the research of network failurology.