As the Series/1 is used in more complex, unattended, or critical applications,
users of the product cannot tolerate the mean time to repair of the
current field service support. Long waits for technicians to arrive,
troubleshoot the system, and repair or replace parts are no longer acceptable.
This thesis presents the system architecture and functional capabilities
of a maintenance processor for the Series/1. The maintenance
processor designed herein can be used as the focal point of most system
support activities. This approach has been used in mainframe systems for
some time but has not, in the past, been deemed feasible for smaller systerns
such as the Series/1. This effort demonstrates the feasibility of a
maintenance processor in such systems, resulting in a simplification of
hardware and software while providing a significant improvement in total
system reliability, availability, and serviceability.