Asymptotics for continuous lifetime distributions with polynomial failure rate with an application in reliability

This paper is a sequel to a 2011 paper of mine in the same journal ("On continuous lifetime distributions with polynomial failure rate with an application in reliability They describe a new class of lifetime distributions applicable in Reliability Theory. The theory is illustrated by analysing a real failure data set. Two disparate fields (Reliability Theory and Computer Theory) are interlinked here. The paper is interdisciplinary and it will be of interest to researchers from both fields. It analyses in depth the structural similarities in both fields and points the interested researcher to several strands of potential further research. It has been nominated for the "2009 Best Paper Award" of the Journal. This paper is one of several where certain stochastic demand and supply patterns are assumed for the reliability analysis of systems subject to intermittently available service and/or demand. The Markov framework is applied in a sophisticated way. The model of a small computer system is analysed to exemplify the ideas. This is a forerunner companion paper to my paper "Towards a unified view of finite automata and semi-Markov flowgraph models" International Journal of General Systems, 38 (6): 643-657. Here the similarities of graph manipulations used in the Theory of Finite Automata and Flowgraphs in Reliability Theory are demonstrated. This paper opens access to practitioners and researchers in both fields to the other area.