Performance Models
Annotating system models by performance aspects paves the way for the development of performance models which can be studied by mathematical analysis or by simulation. If done appropriately, these studies provide valuable hints with respect to the performance to be expected: Very general models support the design process in a very early stage by providing rough performance estimates. More specific models allow for more precise predictions based on additional details of the hardware and software modeled.
According to the approach followed by the work group Communication Systems, the transformation from a system model to a dedicated performance model is done in a completely automated way – transparent to the developer. Thus, there is no requirement for the developer to be familiar with details of the underlying theories. This approach avoids roadblocks for the users and allows for a wide application of performance engineering in the commercial world.
The analysis of complex distributed software environments is based on extended queuing networks which allow for the direct integration of trace files. Thus, developers are provided with dedicated support for incremental work where the design of new systems is based on experiences and performance data of previous versions.
In close co-operation with Nokia, the work group Communication Systems developed a performance model of embedded devices such as mobile phones, DVD players and vehicles equipped with ARM processors. These models allow developers to optimize and test hardware optimizations for specific scenarios without actually implementing these devices as prototypes.
Key Publications
- Lukas Pustina, Peter Martini, Simon Schwarzer
"A Methodology for Performance Predictions of Future ARM Systems Modelled in UML"
Proceedings of the 2nd Annual IEEE International Systems Conference
Syscon 2008, Montreal, Canada, April 7-10, 2008 [pdf].
For further information please contact: perfeng@cs.uni-bonn.de