System Synthesis Environment

Abstract:

This project will create a software product to assist computer engineers in integrating performance modeling and simulation into the development of complex parallel and distributed computing systems. A well-structured Hierarchical Performance Modeling System (HPMS) will be used to provide quantitative performance assessment of an entire system comprising of hardware, software and communication. In addition to HPMS, various simulation techniques will be used to assess the performance. The design environment will predict system performance based on variations in the system structure and environment at any level. The system will support library-based software, hardware and communications models and thus allows a designer to use a COTS approach in assembling and assessing candidate system designs. Performance visualization to accelerate model evaluation and comparison of design alternatives is an essential component of the environment. The environment can be used to assist in identifying effective partitioning and allocation solutions for distributed systems. The product will assist the system developers to incorporate performance metrics very early in the design process. The project requires both extensive software development effort and resolution of integration methods across hierarchical software, analytic and simulation models. The most attractive application domain for this environment is in heterogeneous systems with execution time constraints, such as those in commercial real-time systems and high performance applications. Effective integration of the HPMS approach into the design and implementation of complex computing systems is expected to both decrease development time and increase system effectiveness.