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GUARDS:
Generic Upgradable Architecture
for Real-time Dependable Systems
ESPRIT Project 20716
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The GUARDS project addresses the development of
architectures, methods, techniques, and
tools to support the design, implementation and validation of
critical real-time systems. The innovative approach of the project
towards this strategic objective lies on the elaboration and
exploitation of a coherent methodology integrating five fundamental
features:
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Genericity, to support reusability of hardware and software components
and architectures in multiple applications and domains, in particular
in space, nuclear and railway fields;
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Dependability, to support the design and implementation of fault
tolerance mechanisms complying with safety and availability
requirements;
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Real-time predictability, to support the fulfilment of the stringent
real-time constraints imposed by the considered applications;
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Ability to be validated, to support the definition of instances of the
generic architecture that comply with the requirements imposed by each
of the targeted applications;
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Ability to be certified, to meet the certification obligations imposed
by various standardisation authorities.
The project is broken down into two phases and five
workpackages. University of Ulm was involved in the first phases.
We evaluated several formal methods with respect to their suitablility
for building dependable computing systems with GUARDS. One of the
core fault-tolerance mechanism of GUARDS is a reliable clock
synchronisation. At Ulm two different algorithms were formally
analyzed with PVS
University of Ulm was only involed in the first phases. Currently
there are a total of eight partners in the GUARDS project. The project
is led by three major industrialists in the Space, Nuclear and Railway
fields. A careful specification of the needs of Industrial
End-Users forms the basis from which appropriate mechanisms and
architectures are identified and specified by Academic Partners
with the support of Technology Providers' expertise and tools.
- Formal Analysis of Srikanth/Toueg's Clock Synchronization
Algorithm. D. Schwier, E. Canver, F. von Henke. GUARDS Report.
- Formal Methods in GUARDS: An initial evaluation D. Schwier,
E, Canver, F. von Henke, GUARDS Report.
- Mechanical Verification of Clock Synchronization
Algorithms. D. Schwier, F von Henke., FTRTFT '98