WP5 contains the core activities of this project. Descriptions of the target systems and related parameters will be integrated into a comprehensive statistical model that will be used to estimate reliability metrics defined in WP2 (iteratively in the different design stages of the system). Together with reliability assessment, WP5 includes research on the development of algorithms to support designers with valuable instruments for reliability related decision-making process that will in turn allow the design of reliable systems with improved cost-related characteristics (area, energy/power, and performance) and reduced TTM.

The leading concepts that will be pursued are:

• Flexibility: reliability analysis must be possible starting from the very early design stages, in which HW/SW components are selected and interconnected at a very high-level description, down to post-silicon design in which systems components are well known and characterized.
• Speed: time-consuming simulations and/or fault-injection campaigns must be avoided and replaced by accurate statistical models and procedures.
• Accuracy: reliability estimations must be as precise as possible. Accuracy will be influenced by the quality of the information fed into the model and therefore will increase while moving from very early design stages to more advanced design stages.
• Comprehensiveness: a heterogeneous set of target systems must be analyzable ranging from very application-dependent ES to more general-purpose HPC systems.
• Interoperability: input and output data must be standardized throughout all steps of the analysis and, whenever possible, also considering well established industrial design flows and practices.
• Usability: complexity and precision must be carefully handled to enable the application of the proposed model in real industrial scenarios.

WP5 has also a key harmonization role of the research activity of this project. WP2, WP3, WP4 and WP5 are closely related WPs that require an intensive exchange of information to achieve their goals. Information must be properly represented and standardized in order to guarantee easy and reliable circulation and integration among tasks. WP5 is in charge of this through a dedicated task.
Finally, due to the complexity of the activities performed in this WP a constant validation of preliminary and intermediate results is mandatory. Research activities within WP5 will be therefore organized as a continue alternation of solutions development and preliminary validation activities on simple cases.

Leader: POLITO

Participants: UoA, CNRS, INTEL, THALES, YOGITECH, ABB