Definition of a computer system capable of surviving

A system that develops from several separate systems and components of business-critical services can be made consistent and timely manner must be carried out under different operating conditions. It must be able to achieve its objectives if it is a normal operating state or in any type of stress or in a hostile environment. A discussion on computer systems to survive can be complex and far-reaching. But in this Article,touch only a few basic principles.
Survivable Computer Systems and Computer Security
--------------------------------------------------
computer systems and maintain computer security in many ways, but at a low level is very different. For example, to the discomfort of a particular system can be tough to survive attacks intelligent component of a computer system. Do not meet the ability of a computer system for its purpose ifinvolved affected by an event as a deliberate attack, natural disasters or accidents, or general failure. A vital computer must be able to customize the guide, its primary functions critical, although in a hostile environment, although several components of the computer system can work. In some cases, even if the total system's "primary" destroyed.
For example, a system of real-time information on a critical analysis of specialized medications do not provide moreFunction for a few hours after the widespread loss of communication. However, it maintains the validity of data when communication is restored and new systems online. This system could survive the conditions outside its control.
On the other hand, the same system for seamless access to information under normal circumstances, and lack of working environment, because a localized defect that can not fulfill its purpose evaluatedor has reached his goal.
Fault-tolerant high-availability computer system
----------------------------
many computer systems with fault-tolerant components designed to serve them, not continue if the key parts of the system. For example, most power supplies, redundant disk arrays or multiple processors and system boards that still work even if its peer component is destroyed or not. The likelihood that all components designed tootherwise redundant at a time can be very low. However, a malicious entity, such as redundant components can be configured in any potentially critical in all areas of fault tolerant components to override the engineer knows.
High availability also plays a role in a computer system to survive. But this design component can not be said of survival of computer systems during certain events such as the various forms of malicious attacks. An example of this might be a website criticalService, has been duplicated on multiple computers say, the continuous function, if there were one or more individual web server may fail. The problem is that many implementations of high availability, the same components and methods to all the individual systems. If an intelligent attack or a harmful event occurs and is targeted to a specific set of vulnerabilities for individual systems, it makes sense from the rest of the IT systems for granted thatParticipation in developing highly available are also vulnerable to the same or similar vulnerabilities. Some variance is to be part of all the systems highly available implementation.
What is the difference between an attack and break down the 'accident?
How do these differences impact A Survivable Computer System
-------------------------------------------------- --------
In many cases, when I talk to the security of systems withCustomers are the issue, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery-up. Most companies want a service that only know how critical the system is to achieve a coherent and consistent. However, there is usually little discussion of the different events or situations, and that this can lead to great disappointment in the future, if what the client was a "computer system that can survive" does not fit their expectations thought. Some of the concepts that I like to bringDuring these discussions is that their purpose computer systems and purpose is what makes life special meaning for them operational, and, indeed, what a mistake to attack or appropriate, result in the loss or failure can to achieve the objectives.
A failure as a localized event that the operation of a system and its ability to provide services or meet their objectives impacts are defined. An example would be the failure of one or more critical or less criticalThe functions that the impact of performance or the overall operation of the system. Say, the failure of a module of code that an event cascade that causes the redundant modules prevented correct. Or find a hardware failure, which stunned the computer system.
An accident is usually an event that is beyond the control of the system and administrators of a local / private. An example would be natural disasters such as hurricanes, if you live in South Florida asI know, or floods or widespread loss of power because the utility company cut the supply lines wrong during an upgrade of the network. About two years ago could be my client Web-based management that offers document service does not provide revenue-generating services to their customers, such as a telecommunications engineer from a large luggage compartment cover six blocks from his office phone. They have lost data and telephony services for nearly a week.
An now for the "attack". We all know that accidentshappening, we know that not everything at one time or another, and usually one can speculate how these things happen. An attack by an intelligent, experienced person or a group can be carried out to predict with great difficulty. There are many forms of attacks known and documented. The problem of intelligence and imagination to continually develop the human form of malicious attacks and can seriously threaten even the most modern computer systems designed to survive. An accident orFailure to not think about the capacity of the box, or realize that a highly available design is flawed because all participants use the same design. The probability that an attack might come, and success may be very low, but the effects can be devastating.
Conclusion
-----------------------------------------------
One of the reasons I wrote this article was to illustrate that it is not prevention. Although prevention is a big part of the computer system can surviveThe design must be a critical computer system capable of achieving their goals, whether hostile or under stress conditions. Or if you're doing the steps in the prevention ultimately inadequate. It may be impossible, all other events of interest to a critical computer system, but you can define a reasonable opportunity can think of.
The theme of computer systems is valid in fact one of the complexity of the technology, and evolving. This article was just a touchsome of the fundamental aspects of survivability of computer systems. I intend to continue on this article, dig a little 'more to survive in the field of computer systems.

Mini Notebook Computer