OFTT: a fault tolerance middleware toolkit for process monitoring and control Windows NT applications

Describes OFTT (OLE Fault Tolerance Technology), a fault tolerance middleware toolkit running on the Microsoft Windows NT operating system that provides the required fault tolerance for networked PCs in the context of industrial process monitoring and control applications. It is based on the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) and consists of components that perform checkpoint-saving, failure detection, recovery and other fault tolerance functions. The ease with which this technology can be incorporated into an application represents the primary innovation. It is hoped that, by making fault tolerance more compatible with standard software architectures, more reliable PC-based monitoring and control systems can be built conveniently.