How to control those unruly tape measures - Or, Computer performance modeling using stochastic catastrophe theory

Abstract

There are several other applications of catastrophe theory in computer science modeling. Models dealing with the multiprogramming of computer systems and buffer flow control in computer networks have been shown to also be examples of stochastic cusp catastrophes [1]. Although each of these models had been previously studied, this commonality of behavioral characteristics was not previously observed. This attests to the utility of approaching them using the unifying view of catastrophe theory. New insights are also obtained through this approach. Specifically, characteristics of these systems, such as hysteresis and inaccessibility, were not known prior to these investigations. Perhaps the greatest value in terms of applications, however, lies in using the theory to precisely implement control policies that prevent performance degradations. Prior work in this area typically depended upon ad hoc methods of determining splitting parameter values which would keep the system unsaturated. As see here, these methods can now be more precisely formulated. © 1986 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.