Fault Tolerance Component for Dynamic System Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack effective mechanisms to maintain resilience and functionality in the face of unforeseen events, such as attacks or security vulnerabilities, which can lead to system disruptions and compromised security.
Innovation Solution
A fault tolerance component that includes a receiving unit for event assessments, a control unit to manage system components based on these assessments, and the ability to switch activity levels of system components to ensure continued functionality even under critical conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system maintains full functionality of all components, then system productivity is maximized, but system reliability deteriorates when security events or impairments occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the activity levels of components based on real-time event assessments. The control unit modifies component behavior adaptively in response to changing security conditions, transitioning between different operational states (full functionality, limited functionality, isolation) to maintain reliability while preserving productivity when safe
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly affecting the entire system, the fault tolerance component applies localized control to individual components or subsystems. Each component's activity level is independently adjusted based on its specific risk assessment, allowing critical components to maintain full functionality while non-critical components are restricted or isolated
2Reliability
If the system isolates potentially compromised components, then system reliability improves, but loss of information increases due to restricted data flow
Solution Approach 1:
The fault tolerance component acts as an intermediary between isolated components and the rest of the system. It manages data flow and communication between compromised and healthy components, allowing controlled information exchange that maintains security while minimizing information loss and enabling coordinated response
3Reliability
If the system deactivates system components during critical events, then reliability is maintained, but device complexity increases due to multiple activity levels
Solution Approach 1:
The fault tolerance component performs multiple functions through a unified mechanism: it assesses events, determines criticality, controls component activity levels, and manages system recovery. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single coordinated component, managing complexity while maintaining reliability
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fault tolerance component (11) for a system (1), comprising: - a receiving unit, designed to receive an event assessment, wherein the event assessment is designed as an assessment with regard to a criticality of at least one event on the system (1) and/or in a network (AN) to which the system (1) is connected, - a control unit (11a), designed to control at least one system component (9) of the system (1) depending on the event assessment, whereby an activity level is switched for each of the at least one system component (9), wherein the activity level specifies which at least one activity can be carried out by the respective system component (9). Furthermore, the invention relates to a higher-level system (1) and network (AN) and to an associated method.