ITPEC FE Subject A October 2025 Question 12

Source exam: ITPEC FE Subject A October 2025Topic: Computer Systems & Hardware

ITPEC FE Subject A October 2025 — Question 12 of 60

System Availability with Parallel Redundancy — calculate availability when "at least 1 of N" devices must work.

The system has components connected in series (all required):
- 1 Server (availability a)

- 3 Clients — at least 1 must work

- 2 Printers — at least 1 must work

- LAN (availability = 1)

Parallel availability (at least 1 of N identical devices):
- 1 - (1 - x)^n

- 3 clients: 1 - (1 - b)^3

- 2 printers: 1 - (1 - c)^2

Series availability (all must work): multiply all components.

Result: a × (1 - (1-b)³) × (1 - (1-c)²)(d)

Why not others:
- (a) ab³c² — assumes ALL clients and ALL printers must work (no redundancy)

- (b) a(1-b³)(1-c²) — wrong formula: 1 - b³1 - (1-b)³

- (c) a(1-b)³(1-c)² — probability that ALL clients AND ALL printers are DOWN

Key rule: "At least 1 of N" → 1 - (1-x)^n, then multiply in series.

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