Distributed fault - tolerant CIM - structures, the BERCIM-projects

From the technical point of view computer communication and distributed information processing are the two most important aspects in CIM. The paper describes a "service-world" providing a uniform approach to the heterogeneous components of a geographic distributed CIM-scenario and their functionality. The services are supporting not only communications but also the cooperation of components within a distributed system. Fault tolerance services are applied in form of "Value added services" in order to guarantee the required reliability. The CIM scenario is a chosen example for demonstrating new application classes. Three project partners distributed across Berlin are linked by the BERKOM broadband wide area network. The represent a model for an overlapping compound of different organizations and areas like development, administration and production. Three important aspects of applications are: 1. Distributed planning, programming and simulation for manufacturing cells with industrial ro bots (off-line programming), 2. fault-tolerant area control computer, 3. integrated remote diagnosis.