DEPEND: a simulation environment for system dependability modeling and evaluation

DEPEND is an evolving simulation-based environment for the evaluation of designs from functional and dependability viewpoints. DEPEND supports the VHDL hardware descriptive language as well as the C++ programming language. In addition, DEPEND provides a graphical modeling facility to allow interactive model construction. Designs under evaluation can be functional or structural descriptions of the designs. The Task and Environment Manager provides an easy-access window-based manual page and a tool-kit to allow users to create, modify, and simulate models without leaving the DEPEND environment. At the core of DEPEND are simulation engines supported by a fault injector, a set of fault dictionaries, and component libraries. The component libraries contain model building blocks with detailed functional descriptions and characteristics; the fault dictionaries embody possible fault effects of given fault types, devices, and circuits; and the fault injector provides mechanisms to inject faults.