Early analysis of architecture, functionality scaling, fault tolerance, and security

Purpose and goal

The project has studied a multi-faceted problem that includes a safety-critical system’s requirements, achieving functionality with timeliness, cybersecurity aspects of information flow, and fault tolerance due to node or link failures. The study of these properties at an early concept stage is difficult due to all possible open options and topologies for networked nodes. The goal was to search for approaches and tools to support the system engineer to come up with early system architecture.

Expected results and effects

The project has resulted in methods and tools for efficiently searching in large solution spaces of topologies, which has been documented in a research article currently under review, following four papers published with studies of subproblems. In addition, in collaboration with Brazilian researchers, ontologies and tools for analysis of combined safety and security have been developed, leading to 2 PhD theses, as well as design time analysis of safe reconfigurations upon a function failure.

Planned approach and implementation

There were initial recruitment problems as the first candidate for the PhD position had difficulties getting the problem formulation right. The new recruitment was delayed due to waiting for visa, and a year or so after that we had covid restrictions which were not amenable for creative discussions. Despite this, the number of project publications has exceeded expectations due to Brazilian collaborations. These were carries out virtually but included three physical meetings financed by CISB.