Performance management and fault tolerance are two important issues
faced by computing systems research. In this dissertation, we exploit
the use of feedback control for performance management and fault
tolerance. Specifically, we propose Queueing Model Based Feedback
Control scheme to achieve performance regulation. It integrates the
``descriptive'' power of queueing theory and the ``prescriptive''
power of feedback control to control computing system's performance. In
the second part of this dissertation, we further exploit the use of
feedback control to achieve fault tolerance for real-time embedded
control systems. We propose ORTEGA (On-demand Real-TimE GuArd), a new
fault tolerance architecture which utilizes feedback control based
software execution. It can be deployed in a wide range of real-time
embedded applications to provide fault tolerance. We implemented ORTEGA
in an inverted pendulum testbed to demonstrate its efficacy and
efficiency. Based on the ORTEGA design, we discuss the fault tolerance
and scheduling co-design problem and its solutions.