Prediction of Command Control System Dependability and Performance

In command and control systems, of which the SAGE Air Defense System is one example, system performance and dependability are a function of a number of parameters in addition to the usual failure-time pattern associated with reliability. For duplex installations, expecially where digital computers are concerned, maintenance characteristics of the machines, as well as maintenance and operating policies, can have a profound effect on system down time. Equations are derived for predicting duplex system down time and mean time to lost time incidents on the basis of machine characteristics and operating parameters. The results are illustrated by a numerical example.