Method and system for extending the useful life of another system

A first system for extending the useful life of a second system, said first system comprising:

• duplicate devices adapted to independently perform a same function within said second system;
• reference signal generators incorporated into each of said duplicate devices and adapted to generate reference signals that indicate a value associated with performance degradation of each of said duplicate devices;
• a comparator adapted to receive and compare said reference signals;
• and
• a state machine in communication with said comparator and with each of said duplicate devices,
• wherein said state machine is adapted to alternately power-up and power-down said duplicate devices as dictated by a predetermined policy and based on relative performance degradation between said duplicate devices that is indicated by a minimum difference between said reference signals,
• wherein alternately powering-up and powering-down said duplicate devices allows said duplicate device to recover following performance degradation, and
• wherein said state machine is further adapted to balance load distribution by powering-up more than one of said duplicate devices as dictated by load management objectives in said predetermined policy.

A method for extending the useful life of a system, said method comprising:

• receiving reference signals that indicate values associated with performance degradation of a plurality of duplicate devices that are adapted to independently perform a same function within said system;
• comparing said reference signals;
• and
• alternately powering-up and powering-down said duplicate devices as dictated by a predetermined policy and based on relative performance degradation between said duplicate devices as indicated by a minimum difference between said reference signals so as to allow said duplicate devices to recover following performance degradation.

A program storage device readable by computer and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform a method for extending the useful life of a system, said method comprising:

• receiving reference signals that indicate values associated with performance degradation in a plurality of duplicate devices that are adapted to independently perform a same function within said system;
• comparing said reference signals;
• and
• alternately powering-up and powering-down said duplicate devices as dictated by a predetermined policy and based on relative performance degradation between said duplicate devices as indicated by a minimum difference between said reference signals so as to allow said duplicate devices to recover following performance degradation.