Abstract
In this paper, we propose a novel self-healing approach for a computer system based on Back-Doors (BD), a system architecture that allows monitoring and repair actions to be performed on a remote operating system or application image without using remote CPU cycles. The key ingredient of the Back-Door architecture is the Remote Memory Communication (RMC) technology provided by standards like Virtual Interface Architecture (VIA) or InfiniBand, specifically its support for remote DMA read and write operations. In this paper, we discuss the potential and challenges of the Back-Door approach to self-healing, and describe a preliminary prototype we developed as proof of concept.