Computer performance evaluation with GIST: a tool for specifying extended queueing network models

ABSTRACT

GIST (Graphical Input Simulation Tool) is a powerful and user-friendly performance evaluation tool for the specification and simulation of Extended Queueing Network models of computer and other systems. It includes a number of modeling abstractions for active and passive resource management, job creation and destruction, synchronization, routing, and statistics collection. Two interfaces are provided: a graphical interface (GUIDE) that allows the user to describe much of the simulation model pictorially; and a textual interface (TIDE) that has the same modeling capabilities but uses a menu-driven, window-oriented approach for use on non-graphics terminals. Object and run-time parameters in both interfaces are specified through menus that reduce the probability of specification-time errors. A number of extensions planned for GIST are also described.

REFERENCES

• 1: R.G Covington,"CSIM: An Efficient Implementation of a Discrete Event Simulator," M.S. Thesis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251-1892 (April 1985).
• 2: C.H. Sauer, E.A. MacNair, and J.F. Kurose, "The Research Qneueing Package Version 2 : Introduction and Examples," RA 138, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (April 1982).
• 3: W. Whitt, "The Queueing Network Analyzer," BSTJ 62(9, Part 1), pp.2779-2815 (November 1983).
• 4: W. Whitt, "Performance of the Queueing Network Analyzer," BSTJ 62(9, Part 1), pp.2817-2843 (November 1983).
• 5: A.K. Agrawala, S.K. Tripathi, M. Abrams, K.K. Ramakrishnan, M. Singhal, and S. H. Son, "STEP-1: A User Friendly Performance Analysis Tool," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 6: M. Veran and D. Potier, "QNAP2: A Portable Environment for Queueing Systems Modelling," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performanoe Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 7: H.Beilner and J. Maeter, "COPE: Past, Presence and Future," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 8: A. Brandwajn, "Issues in Mainframe System Modelling - Lessons from Model Development at Amdahl, " Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 9: M. Booyens, P.S. Kritzinger, A. Krzesinski, P. Teunissen, and S. van Wyk, "SNAP: An Analytic Multiclass Queueing Network Analyser," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 10: S.C. Bruell, G. Balbo, S. Ghanta, and P.V. Afshari, "A Mean Value Analysis Based Package for the Solution of Product-Form Queueing Network Models," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 11: K.G. Ramakrishnan and D. Mitra, "An Overview of PANACEA, a Software Package for Analyzing Markovian Queueing Networks," BSTJ 61(10, Part 1), pp.2849-2872 (December 1982).
• 12: I. Kino and S. Morita, "PERFORMS - A Support System for Computer System Performance Evaluation," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 13: J. Buzen, "BEST/1 - Design of a Tool for Computer System Capacity Planning," Proc. 1978 AFIPS National Computer Conference 47, pp.447-455 (1978).
• 14: B. Mueller, "NUMAS: A Tool for the Numerical Modelling of Computer Systems," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984).
• 15: PAWS- Performance Analyst's Workbench System: INTRODUCTION AND TECHNICAL SUMMARY, Information Research Associates, Austin, TX (July 1983).
• 16: T. Nishida, M. Murata, H. Miyahara, and K. Takashina, "PLANS: Modelling and Simulation System for LAN," Proc. International Conference on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Performance Analysis, Paris (May 1984),
• 17: B. Melamed and R.J.T. Morris, "Visual Simulation: The Performance Analysis Workstation," Computer, (to appear) (1985).
• 18: A. Blum, E.A. MacNair, and C.H. Sauer, "The Research Queueing Package Graphics Developments," RC 9513, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (August 1982).
• 19: J. C. Browne , Doug Neuse , Jim Dutton , Keh-Chiang Yu, Graphical programming for simulation of computer systems, Proceedings of the 18th annual symposium on Simulation, p.109-126, March 1985, Tampa, Florida, United States
• 20: J.B. Sinclair, K.A. Doshi, and S. Madala, "GIST: The Graphical input Simulation Tool," TR 8511, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251-1892 (May 1985).
• 21: K.C. Arnold, "Screen Updating and Cursor Movement Optimization: A Library Package," Computer Science Division, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley.
• 22: S. Madala, "Design of a Graphical Input Simulation Tool for Extended Queueing Network Models," M.S. Thesis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251-1892 (April 1985).
• 23: K.A. Doshi, "Extended Queueing Network Modeling," M.S. Thesis, Departrment of Electrical and Computr Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251-1892 (April 1985).