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Abstract - Menascé, Almeida & Dowdy, 1994

Daniel Menascé, Virgilio Almeida and Larry Dowdy. 1994. Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling: From Mainframes to Client-Server Systems." Prentice-Hall.

Title:

"Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling:
From Mainframes to Client-Server Systems"

Authors:

Daniel Menasce, George Mason University, menasce@cs.gmu.edu
Virgilio Almeida, Federal University of Minas Gerais
Larry Dowdy, Vanderbilt University

Specifics: Prentice-Hall, March 1994, ISBN: 0-13-035494-5, 432 pages, $44

Table of Contents:

Foreword by Peter J. Denning
Preface
Chapter 1. The Capacity Planning Problem
Chapter 2. A Capacity Planning Methodology
Chapter 3. Performance Models
Chapter 4. Intuitive Solutions for a Single Processor
Computer System Performance Model
Chapter 5. Efficient Solutions for Computer System Models
Chapter 6. Multiple Class Models
Chapter 7. Performance of Client-Server Architectures
Chapter 8. Models of Practical Computer Systems
Chapter 9. Obtaining Input Parameters
Chapter 10. Model Calibration and Validation
Chapter 11. Performance of New Applications
Chapter 12. Concluding Remarks
Appendix A. Glossary of Terms
Appendix B. Glossary of Notation
Appendix C. Formulae
Appendix D. Quick Manual for QSolver/1

Usage:

1) As a text for a first course in performance evaluation either at the undergraduate level or at the beginning graduate level. The book has a large number of exercises of diverse complexity.
2) As a self-study reference for professionals working in the area of capacity planning, performance analysis, or system management. The concepts are illustrated by means of many examples taken from modern computer systems such as client-server systems.

Unique Features:

1) Example Based. Each chapter begins with a motivating problem. The solution to each problem is "discovered" by reasoning from first principles and intuition. Only then is the theory necessary to generalize the solution presented.
2) Software Tools. Provided with the book is a diskette that contains the Pascal source code for programs to solve multiple class open and closed queueing network models with load dependent servers. In addition, an educational version of a PC based capacity planning software package, QSolver/1, is provided.

Key Words: capacity planning, performance modeling, service levels, service demands, performance metrics, data collection techniques, workload characterization, workload forecasting, queueing network models, passive resources, open/closed/mixed systems, single/multiple class models, class aggregation, multiple resource possession, client-server architectures, Markov analysis, Little's Result, birth-death systems, stochastic/operational analysis, convolution, mean value analysis, decomposition/aggregation, bounding techniques, approximations, mixed networks, load dependent servers, paging models, memory queuing, priority scheduling, I/O models, model calibration, model validation, software performance engineering, performance prediction, system sizing/tuning, fun.

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MRH

9/7/94