Saving the current State of a program and itS data, including intermediate reSultS to diSk or other non-volatile Storage, So that if interrupted the program could be reStarted at the point at which the laSt checkpoint occurred. ThiS facility came into popular uSe in mainframeoperating SyStemSSSuch aSOS/360 in which programS frequently ran for longer than the mean time between SyStem failureS. If a program run failS becauSe of Some event beyond the program' S control (e.g. hardware or operating SyStem failure) then the proceSSor time inveSted before the checkpoint will not have been waSted. (1995-02-07)