Michael S (already5chosen@yahoo.com) on 2/10/09 wrote:
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>Dean Kent (dkent@realworldtech.com) on 2/9/09 wrote:
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>>EduardoS (no@spam.com) on 2/9/09 wrote:
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>>>Michael S (already5chosen@yahoo.com) on 2/8/09 wrote:
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>>>>For some very narrow definition of mission-critical (mission-critical=counting big bucks) that could even be true.
>>>
>>>Where? All the machines counting big bucks here are Xeon DP boxes
>>
>>Where is 'here'? and can you define 'big bucks'?
>>
>>>
>>>Let's say mission critical things like nuclear plants and missiles?
>>>
>>
>>Mission critical basically means any application that, if it stops running for
>>any significant period of time, kills the business.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Dean
>>
>
>By this definition any business worth its salt (with rare special exceptions like
>stock exchanges) has no mission critical computing applications at all. At worst,
>some of them have mission critical digital storage.

I'll also add to that definition classes of systems that if they fail, can result in loss of life, destruction of property, or significant loss of revenue (needn't strictly result in failure of the entire business), or literally failure of a "mission" (in the military sense).

Many classes of control systems fall under this category, although the computerized part by itself perhaps could be exempt from that status if there are mechanical interlocks or overrides.

Many military systems above the low level control and communication systems are also mission critical. From the tactical aids like target acquisition and tracking and selection, all the way up to logistics and budgets and strategies for entire wars. All have varying levels of required timeliness and definitions of success and failure, but at all levels there are mission critical systems.