Method for operating a distributed computer system

A method for operation of a distributed computer system (SYS) comprising network nodes (NKN, NK1–NK6), each of which has at least one node controller (STR, ST1–ST6) and one communication controller (KK1–KK6), the communication controllers (KKK, KK1–KK6) being connected to each other via at least one communication channel (BUS), and provision being made between the communication controller (KK1–KK6) and the node controller (STR, ST1–ST6) of a network node (NKN, NK1–NK6) for a fault tolerance layer (FTS, FT1–FT6) that is set up to receive messages exchanged between the network nodes (NKN, NK1–NK6), and the fault tolerance layer (FTS, FT1–FT6) deciding, based on information received pertaining to the status of at least one network node (NKN, NK1–NK6), about the functioning of the at least one network node (NK1–NK6) via a coordination procedure, wherein the coordination result is made available as an output signal (ASS, AS1–AS6) at one or more hardware outputs of the communication controller (KKK, KK1–KK6), and the at least one network node (NKN, NK1–NK6) being triggered as a function of the output signal (ASS, AS1–AS6).