Reliability
In engineering in general,
reliability is the capacity of a component or a system of such components to perform as designed.
See reliability theory. Computer codes exist to quantify complex system reliability.
In telecommunication, the term reliability has the following meanings:
- The ability of an item to perform a required function under stated conditions for a specified period of time.
- The probability that a functional unit will perform its required function for a specified interval under stated conditions.
- The continuous availability of communication services to the general public, and emergency response activities in particular, during normal operating conditions and under emergency circumstances with minimal disruption.
Source: from Federal Standard 1037C in support of MIL-STD-188
In psychometrics, reliability is the precision (i.e., freedom from error) of the scores of a measure, see Reliability (psychometric).
In testing, reliability is the extent to which the measurements resulting from a test are the result of characteristics of those being measured. See for a fuller description.
