Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur

Computer Systems Modeling

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Course Outline

Prerequisite: Undergraduate first course in Probability

Course Objective

This is a first course in computer systems modeling. The objective of this introductory course is to study the characteristics of various analytical models of computer systems. Students will learn how to choose and build an appropriate model for a given system in order to analyze its performance and dependability.

Topics

§ Review of fundamental concepts: probability, random variables and distributions

§ Basic definitions of reliability, availability and performance

§ Fault Trees and Reliability Block Diagrams

§ Introduction to Discrete Time and Continuous Markov Chains, applications

§ Introduction to queuing theory, applications

§ Use of Layered Queueing Network (LQN): Unlike traditional queueing networks, LQN can model software contention (i.e. it takes into account the time spent to access a software resource) and simultaneous resource possessions (for reference on LQN please see http://www.layeredqueues.org/)

Text Book

1. Kishor S. Trivedi, Probability and Statistics with Reliability, Queuing, and Computer Science Applications, Second Edition, John Wiley and Sons, 2001.

Reference Books

2. R. A. Sahner, K. S. Trivedi and A. Puliafito, Performance and Reliability Analysis of Computer Systems: An Example-Based Approach Using the SHARPE Software Package, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996.

3. G. Bolch, S. Greiner, H. de Meer and K. S. Trivedi, Queueing Networks and Markov Chains: Modeling and Performance Evaluation with Computer Science Applications, Second Edition, John Wiley, New York, NY, 2006.

4. Layered Queueing Research Resource Page http://www.layeredqueues.org/