RAMS definitions

Reliability
• The ability of a system or component to perform its required functions
under stated conditions for a specified period of time. It is often
reported in terms of a probability. (wiki - common defenition)

• Continuity of correct service (as an attribute of dependability theory)

• The probability of successful operation or performance of systems and

related equipment, with minimal risk of loss or disaster or of system
failure. Designing for reliabilty requires an evaluation of the effects of
failure of the inherent systems and equipment (as a part of
Engineering Integrity and RAMS analyses)
 Availability

• The degree to which a system, subsystem, or equipment is operable

and in a committable state (wiki)

• Readiness for correct service (as an attribute of dependability theory)

• That aspect of system reliability that takes equipment maintainability

into account. Design for availability requires an evaluation of the
consequences of unsuccessful operation or performance of the
integrated systems, and the critical requirements necessary to restore
operation or performance to design expectations (as a part of
Engineering Integrity and RAMS analyses)
 Maintainability
• In software engineering, the ease with which a software product can
be modified in order to: correct defects, meet new requirements, make
future maintenance easier, or cope with a changed environment (wiki)

• ability to undergo, modifications, and repairs (as an attribute of

dependability theory)

• that aspect of maintenance that takes downtime of the systems into

account. Designing for maintainability requires an evaluation of the
accessibility and repairability of the inherent systems and their related
equipment in the event of failure, as well as of integrated systems
shutdown during planned maintenance (as a part of Engineering
Integrity and RAMS analyses)
 Safety

• Safety is often seen as one of a group of related disciplines: quality,

reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (wiki, system safety)

• absence of catastrophic consequences on the user(s) and the

environment (as an attribute of dependability theory)

• thee categories: personal protection, equipment protection,

environmental protection. Means “not involving risk”, where the risk is
“the chance of loss or disaster”. Designing for safety is inherent in the
development of designing for reliability and maintainability of systems
and their related equipment.
Reliability - The probability of successful operation or performance of systems and related equipment, with minimal risk
of loss or disaster or of system failure

MTTF (Mean Time To Failure) - The arithmetic mean (average) time to failures of a system

Failure rate - is the frequency with which an engineered system or component fails, expressed for example in failures
per hour.

Maintainability - Ability to undergo, modifications, and repairs

MTTR (Mean Time To Repair) - The average time that a device will take to recover from any failure

Availability (A) - Readiness for correct service

A=MTTF/(MTTF+MTTR)

Safety (S) - Absence of catastrophic consequences on the user(s) and the environment

Hazard - A condition or situation that exists within the working environment capable of causing harm, injury, and/or
damage.

Hazard severity (HS) - A categorical description of hazard level based on real or perceived potential for causing
harm, injury, and/or damage.

Hazard probability (HP) - The likelihood that a condition or set of conditions will exist in a given situation or
operating environment.

S=HSxHP
HW

SW
 HW component RAMS assessment

Hazard
MTTR MTTF existed HW
severity
tables tables component
tables

Look at
MTTR Look at
MTTR MTTF
table MTTF
tests tests
table Look at
hazard
table

MTTR MTTF

A = MTTF/
S=
(MTTF+MTTR) HS*FailureRate

M A R S
 HW system RAMS assessment
Hazard
MTTR MTTF HW system
severity
tables tables design level
tables

Look at Look at
MTTR Look at hazard
table MTTF table
table

MTTRs Severities
MTTFs

FTA, RBD, FTA, RBD, FTA, RBD,

Maintainability
CTMC. SGPN, CTMC. SGPN, CTMC.
analysis
SPA SPA SGPN, SPA

M A R S