Functional performance specification with stochastic probes

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce FPS, a mechanism to define performance measures for stochastic process algebra models. FPS is a functional performance specification language which describes passage-time, transient, steady-state and continuous state space performance questions, We present a generalisation of stochastic probes, a formalism-independent specification of behaviour in stochastic process algebra models, Stochastic probes select the performance-critical paths for which the measures are required; increasing their expressiveness in turn gives us greater expressive power to represent performance questions. We end by demonstrating these tools on an RSS syndication architecture of up to 1.5 × 10 51 states. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.