Architecture-Centric Fault Tolerance with Exception Handling

This technical report considers the problem of developing dependable component-based software systems through an architectural approach, which combines fault prevention, fault removal, and fault tolerance techniques. The architecture-centred solution comprises a rigorous approach, which systematises the verification and validation of fault tolerant systems. Using B-Method and CSP, we analyse the exception flow at the architectural level and verify important properties regarding the system dependability. Besides that, the it is adopted an architectural solution based on exception handling for transforming untrusted software components into idealised fault-tolerant architectural components, which can be used as building blocks for creating fault-tolerant software architectures. The feasibility of the proposed architectural solution was evaluated on a business critical case study.