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Virginia Tech

A stochastic process model for transient trace data

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Creation of sufficiently accurate workload models of computer systems is a key step in evaluating and tuning these systems. Workload models for an observable system can be built from traces collected by observing the system. This dissertation presents a novel technique to construct non-executable, artificial workload models fitting transient trace data. The trace can be a categorical or numerical time-series. The trace is considered a sample realization of a non-stationary stochastic process, {X<sub>t</sub>}, such that random variables X<sub>t</sub> follow different probability distributions. To estimate the parameters for the model a Rate Evolution Graph (REG) is built from the trace data. The REG is a two-dimensional Cartesian graph which plots the number of occurrences of each unique state in the trace on the ordinate and time on the abscissa. The REG contains one path for all instances of each unique state in the trace. The derivative of a REG path at time t is used as an estimate of the probability of occurrence of the corresponding state at t. We use piecewise linear regression to fit straight line segments to each REG path. The slopes of the line segments that fit a REG path estimate the time dependent probability of occurrence of the corresponding state. The estimates of occurrence probabilities of all unique states in the trace are used to construct a time-dependent joint probability mass function. The joint probability mass function is the representation of the Pzrecewise Independent Stochastic Process model for the trace. Two methods that assist to compact the model, while retaining accuracy, are also discussed.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Computer Science
Department dc:contributor.department
Computer Science
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1996

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Mathur, Anup
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Abrams, Marc
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Arthur, James D.
  • Balci, Osman
  • Foutz, Robert V.
  • Shaffer, Clifford A.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10052007-143230
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39643

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Mathur, Anup. A stochastic process model for transient trace data. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39643