This book presents novel approaches to formulate, analyze, and solve problems in the area of distributed service networks, notably based on AI-related methods (parallel/cloud computing, declarative modeling, fuzzy methods). Distributed service networks are an important area of research and applications. The methods presented are meant to integrate both emerging and existing concepts and approaches for different types of production flows through synchronizations. An integration of logistics services (e.g., supply chains and projects portfolios), public and multimodal transport, traffic flow congestion management in ad hoc networks, design of high-performance cloud data centers, and milk-run distribution networks are shown as illustrations for the methods proposed. The book is of interest to researchers and practitioners in computer science, operations management, production control, and related fields.

Distributed systems employed in critical infrastructures must fulfill dependability, timeliness, and performance specifications. Since these systems most often operate in an unpredictable environment, their design and maintenance require quantitative evaluation of deterministic and probabilistic timed models. This need gave birth to an abundant literature devoted to formal modeling languages combined with analytical and simulative solution techniques The aim of the book is to provide an overview of techniques and methodologies dealing with such specific issues in the context of distributed systems and covering aspects such as performance evaluation, reliability/availability, energy efficiency, scalability, and sustainability. Specifically, techniques for checking and verifying if and how a distributed system satisfies the requirements, as well as how to properly evaluate non-functional aspects, or how to optimize the overall behavior of the system, are all discussed in the book. The scope has been selected to provide a thorough coverage on issues, models. and techniques relating to validation, evaluation and optimization of distributed systems. The key objective of this book is to help to bridge the gaps between modeling theory and the practice in distributed systems through specific examples.

Critically acclaimed text for computer performance analysis--now in its second edition The Second Edition of this now-classic text provides a current and thorough treatment of queueing systems, queueing networks, continuous and discrete-time Markov chains, and simulation. Thoroughly updated with new content, as well as new problems and worked examples, the text offers readers both the theory and practical guidance needed to conduct performance and reliability evaluations of computer, communication, and manufacturing systems. Starting with basic probability theory, the text sets the foundation for the more complicated topics of queueing networks and Markov chains, using applications and examples to illustrate key points. Designed to engage the reader and build practical performance analysis skills, the text features a wealth of problems that mirror actual industry challenges. New features of the Second Edition include: * Chapter examining simulation methods and applications * Performance analysis applications for wireless, Internet, J2EE, and Kanban systems * Latest material on non-Markovian and fluid stochastic Petri nets, as well as solution techniques for Markov regenerative processes * Updated discussions of new and popular performance analysis tools, including ns-2 and OPNET * New and current real-world examples, including DiffServ routers in the Internet and cellular mobile networks With the rapidly growing complexity of computer and communication systems, the need for this text, which expertly mixes theory and practice, is tremendous. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students in computer science will find the extensive use of examples and problems to be vital in mastering both the basics and the fine points of the field, while industry professionals will find the text essential for developing systems that comply with industry standards and regulations.

This work deals with the problem of estimating performance measures for spatially distributed networks serviced by mobile servers. The demands are generated stochastically at the nodes and the service units, stationed in service centers when available, travel to the calls and service them according to a pre-selected policy. These types of networks are frequently encountered in the manufacturing industry, for example robotic repair systems found in textile plants and flexible auto manufacturing plants, as well as in public sector service industries like emergency services (police, ambulance and fire service). Another important manifestation is in the design of field support for products. In this work, we concentrate on developing models for obtaining the performance measures of interest, namely the fraction of time the machine are up and running in the case of manufacturing facilities, and the average response time to a random call for an emergency service facility or a product support facility. Whenever a call is placed, a service unit will travel (immediately, if available) to the call's location and will provide the service required. Otherwise, the call will enter a queue at that node that may have finite or infinite capacity. The service units travel from node to node serving the calls and return to the service center only when there are no more calls waiting. Thus, travel times play a major role in designing the system. The system can be modeled by using a semi-Markov chain but the technique is manageable only under certain special conditions, for example in the case of small or symmetric networks with only one server. For most practical cases, however, the exact models are too complicated to solve because they require considering exponentially large number of states of the system. Approximate methods seem to be the only promising way of modeling these complicated systems to obtain the desired performance measures which can then be used to make strategic (e.g. location) or operational (e.g. dispatching) decisions. This thesis presents several such methods based on relatively simple approximations which are tested using simulation and found to give good results.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed proceedings of the SPEC International Performance Evaluation Workshop, SIPEW 2008, held in Darmstadt, Germany, in June 2008 . The 17 revised full papers presented were carefully selected out of 39 submissions for inclusion in the book. The papers are organized in topical sections on models for software performance engineering; benchmarks and workload characterization; Web services and service-oriented architectures; power and performance; and profiling, monitoring and optimization.

This monograph-like state-of-the-art survey presents the history, the key ideas, the success stories, and future challenges of performance evaluation and demonstrates the impact of performance evaluation on a variety of different areas through case studies in a coherent and comprehensive way. Leading researchers in the field have contributed 19 cross-reviewed topical chapters competently covering the whole range of performance evaluation, from theoretical and methodological issues to applications in numerous other fields. Additionally, the book contains one contribution on the role of performance evaluation in industry and personal accounts of four pioneering researchers describing the genesis of breakthrough results. The book will become a valuable source of reference and indispensable reading for anybody active or interested in performance evaluation.

"Kobayashi and Mark present the most up-to-date analytical models, simulation techniques, and computational algorithms useful for performance evaluation of complex systems - including computer systems, communication networks, transportation systems, and manufacturing systems. Broader in scope than other texts, this book provides more in-depth coverage of topics such as computational algorithms and approximations. It appeals to students with a background or interest in a wide range of areas, including systems analysis or telecommunication networks."--Publisher's website.