Using blockchain technology to improve N-version software dependability

Abstract

Being a technique ensuring the dependability and fault tolerance of software, the N-version programming has proven its effectiveness. A formal definition and some practical experience support the idea that redundancy and diversity are the key points of the N-version software dependability. The implementation of N functionally equivalent versions allows to resist different types of faults, including residual ones. However, due to some peculiarities of N-version software design interversion and intermodule dependences can arrive. It results in the dependency of potential faults in versions or modules of the N-version software. The recently appeared blockchain technology can be applied to increase the dependability of N-version software. In the paper the authors suggest an approach to log N-version software faults by the means of the blockchain technology. As a result, the blockchain technology provides complete data on operation of the N-version software that is used to improve the N-version software dependability. An example illustrating the proposed approach is provided.