Real Time Systems

691 Words3 Pages
Abstract In this day and age of information overload businesses want to have the most up to date information when making time critical decisions. How up to date and accurate will depend upon the system used to produce this information. This paper will discuss the meaning of real time systems and what it means to business. Real Time systems “The need for timely information can change for each business decision. Some require weekly or monthly information while other decisions require daily information” (Baltzan & Phillips, 2010, p. 79). The key is whatever the timeframe may be, they need it on time. Explanation “Real time systems provide real time information in response to query request” (Baltzan & Phillips, 2010, p. 79). There are two types of real time systems: soft and hard real time systems. “'Hard' real time systems refer to those that must maintain a predictable rate of processing return, such as an airplane's fly-by-wire system” (Fiddler, p. 47). The fly by wire system as well as auto pilot on airlines has to make many instantaneous calculations to keep a plane flying. “'Soft' real time systems usually deliver immediate responses but do not require them for the sake of safety, as in financial systems or a factory's control system” (Fiddler, p. 47). Baltzan & Phillips refers more toward the soft real time systems. Comparison Baltzan & Phillips didn’t discuss the two types of real time systems and only discussed the soft real time systems which are time critical but business critical. It deals with more business and employees decisions to keep a business running and on top. Article Summary The article “Hard real time vs. soft real time” by Jerry Fiddler (1994) may be dated but is still relevant eight years later. It gives a very good definition of the types of real time systems as well as good examples of the
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