Evaluation of integrated system-level checks for on-line error detection

Abstract

This paper evaluates the capabilities of an integrated system level error detection technique using fault and error injection. This technique is comprised of two software level mechanisms for concurrent error detection, control flow checking using assertions (CCA) and data error checking using application specific data checks. Over 300,000 faults and errors were injected and the analysis of the results reveals that the CCA detects 95% of all the errors while the data checks are able to detect subtle errors that go undetected by the CCA technique. Latency measurements also shelved that the CCA technique is faster than the data checks in detecting the error. When both techniques were incorporated, the system was able to detect over 98% of all injected errors.