Mean time between repair
(also MTBR)
Mean time between repair definition
Mean time between repair (MTBR) is the average time between successive repairs of a specific system. By using MTBR, you can plan how long your organization’s systems will be able to operate without incident.
MTBR evaluates how reliable a given system is. You calculate MTBR by subtracting the total operating time (the cumulative period during which the system is in use) and dividing the result by the number of repairs.
See also: mean time to acknowledge, mean time to failure, mean time to patch, mean time to recovery, mean time to repair, mean time to resolution, mean time to respond, recovery time objective, cyber incident response plan, cyber incident, response time
Mean time between repair uses
Organizations use MTBR to evaluate how reliable their systems are — if they see a high MTBR value, they can expect the system to run for a long period of time without encountering problems. This knowledge helps organizations plan maintenance during expected downtime, reducing disruptions and productivity losses.
Furthermore, tracking MTBR allows organizations to manage costs effectively. When MTBR is low, it serves as a signal that it might be time to consider improving maintenance practices or replacing the equipment that’s frequently experiencing issues.