What is this standard about?
This international electrotechnical standard is about improving the dependability of open systems –large, complex and interconnected systems whose boundaries, function and structures change over time and which are recognized and described differently from various points of view. An example open system is a smart grid. Dependability is about a system providing the expected service as and when required over extended periods of time.
Who is this standard for?
Users, owners and customers of organizations involved in and responsible for ensuring that open systems dependability requirements are being met. Organizations include all types and sizes of corporations, public and private institutions such as government agencies, business enterprises and non-profit associations.
Why should you use this standard?
This document applies to the life cycles of products, systems, processes or services involving hardware, software and human aspects or any integrated combinations of these.
It provides guidance in relation to a set of requirements placed upon system life cycles in order for an open system to achieve open systems dependability: the attributes of which include availability, reliability, maintainability and supportability.
It elaborates on IEC 60300-1 by providing details of the changes needed to accommodate the characteristics of open systems.
It defines process views based on ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2015 which identifies the set of system life cycle processes.
It can be used to improve the dependability of open systems and to provide assurance that the process views specific to open systems achieve their expected outcomes. It helps an organization define the activities and tasks that need to be undertaken to achieve dependability objectives in an open system, including dependability related communication, dependability assessment and evaluation of dependability throughout system life cycles.
For open systems, security is especially important since the systems are particularly exposed to attack.
This document provides guidance on open systems dependability by using the four process views, each of which selects and combines system life cycle processes, activities and tasks of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288: 2015:
- Change Accommodation process view
- Accountability Achievement process view
- Failure Response process view
- Consensus Building process view
A dependability case that assures these process views is crucial for stakeholders to understand and agree on the boundaries of their responsibilities, to assign accountability for implementation and to duly manage changes in achieving open systems dependability.