Summary: .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
AUTOMATIC INSTRUCTION-LEVEL
SOFTWARE-ONLY RECOVERY
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
SOFTWARE-ONLY RELIABILITY TECHNIQUES PROTECT AGAINST TRANSIENT FAULTS
WITHOUT THE OVERHEAD OF HARDWARE TECHNIQUES. ALTHOUGH EXISTING LOW-
LEVEL SOFTWARE-ONLY FAULT-TOLERANCE TECHNIQUES DETECT FAULTS, THEY
OFFER NO RECOVERY ASSISTANCE. THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THREE AUTOMATIC,
INSTRUCTION-LEVEL, SOFTWARE-ONLY RECOVERY TECHNIQUES REPRESENTING
DIFFERENT TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.
......Microprocessor performance has
been increasing exponentially in recent
decades, due in large part to smaller and
faster transistors enabled by improved
fabrication technology. Although such
transistors enhance performance, their low-
er threshold voltages and tighter noise
margins make them less reliable,1­3
render-
ing processors that use them more suscep-

Source: August, David - Department of Computer Science, Princeton University

Collections: Computer Technologies and Information Sciences