Numerical computation algorithms for sequential checkpoint placement

This paper concerns sequential checkpoint placement problems under two dependability measures: steady-state system availability and expected reward per unit time in the steady state. We develop numerical computation algorithms to determine the optimal checkpoint sequence, based on the classical Brender’s fixed point algorithm and further give three simple approximation methods. Numerical examples with the Weibull failure time distribution are devoted to illustrate quantitatively the overestimation and underestimation of the sub-optimal checkpoint sequences based on the approximation methods.