Method and mechanism for providing a non-stop, fault-tolerant telecommunications system

A method for replacing at least a portion of a first task unit in a communications system comprising the steps of:

• determining when the portion of the first task unit needs to be replaced;
• and
• replacing online the portion of the first task unit with at least a portion of a second task unit without interrupting operation of the system,
• wherein the step of determining comprises the step of detecting when the portion of the first task unit is improperly functioning,
• wherein the step of detecting comprises the steps of sending a task probe request message to the first task unit and detecting a task probe response message in response to the task probe request message,
• wherein the step of detecting a task probe response message comprises the steps of waiting a predetermined time interval for the task probe response message and determining that the portion of the first task unit is improperly functioning if the task probe response message is not detected within the predetermined time interval,
• wherein the first task unit comprises a first input queue, a first output queue and a first task, and
• wherein the step of replacing online the portion of the first task unit comprises the steps of determining which of the first input queue, the first output queue or the first task is improperly functioning and replacing the improperly functioning one of the first input queue, the first output queue and the first task.