| The growing importance of real-time computing in numerous applications poses problems for network architectures, especially safety-critical Wide Area Networks (WANs). Assessing network performance in safety-critical real-time systems is difficult, and suggests the use of both human and technical performance criteria because of the importance of both dimensions in safety-critical settings. This research proposes a model that considers both technical and human performance in network evaluation.; There has been a considerable amount of research in the area of network performance evaluation. However, little of the research focused on the evaluation of real-time safety-critical WANs. Previous research has not considered WANs in terms of their qualitative aspects nor incorporated a sociotechnical approach to evaluate large-scale real-time networks. Hence, a more comprehensive approach is required to evaluate large-scale real-time networks in safety-critical settings. Previous work evaluated WANs in terms of their quantitative aspects using quantitative performance models such as queuing theory, simulation and statistical distributions. However, this research proposes a more comprehensive approach, incorporating technical approaches such as mathematical models, statistical models, and communication models, as well as human-oriented approaches such as business models, psychological and sociological models that address the technical, sociological and organizational needs of WANs in safety-critical large scale systems.; Most large-scale networks depend on hardware, software, human operators and other network elements to function correctly. Failure of any of the network elements can bring the entire network down and in safety-critical settings, the human, environmental, and economic consequences of network failures can be staggering. Since survivability and reliability are crucial in safety-critical systems, careful evaluation of these systems is important. However, few evaluation models of real-time safety-critical wide area networks have been developed, a need that motivates this research. |
