Reading Journal: Why Do Computers Stop and What Can Be Done About It?

Please answer the following questions after reading the assigned technical report written by Jim Gray. Send your responses to the instructor by email with the subject [Advanced OS] Reading Journal: Gray. Please review your responses for spelling and grammatical errors before sending them, and make a final editing pass to ensure your thoughts are clearly expressed and organized before sending them.

Questions

1. Who is Jim Gray, and why would he write about computers failing? (2–3 sentences)
2. Briefly summarize Gray’s model for understanding computer failures and availability. (3–4 sentences)
3. Does this model for understanding failures seem useful to you? Why or why not? (2–3 sentences)
4. Gray proposes several techniques for tolerating failure. Describe an example where you believe a company or institution uses one or more of these techniques. What evidence do you have that Gray’s techniques are being used? (3–4 sentences)
5. Think of an example from your own experience where something has failed, and describe how Gray’s proposed techniques could help you cope with that failure. Please choose an example that does not connect to computing. (3–4 sentences)