A tool suite for modelling spatial interdependencies of distributed systems with Markovian agents

Abstract

Distributed systems are characterized by a large number of similar interconnected objects that cooperate by exchanging messages. Practical application of such systems can be found in computer systems, sensor networks, and in particular in critical infrastructures. Though formalisms like Markovian Agents provide a formal support to describe these systems and evaluate related performance indices, very few tools are currently available to define models in such languages, moreover they do not provide generally specific functionalities to ease the definition of the locations of the interacting components. This paper presents a prototype tool suite capable of supporting the study of the number of hops and the transmission delay in a critical infrastructure. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.