Performability Evaluation:
Where It Is and What Lies Ahead
J. F. Meyer
Abstract
The concept of performability emerged from a need to assess a
system's ability to perform when performance degrades as a
consequence of faults. After almost 20 years of effort concerning its
theory, techniques, and applications, performability evaluation is
currently well understood by the many people responsible for its
development. On the other hand, the utility of combined
performance-dependability measures has yet to be appreciably
recognized by the designers of contemporary computer
systems. Following a review of what performability
means, we discuss its present state with respect to
both scientific and engineering contributions.
In view of current practice and the
potential design applicability of performability evaluation,
we then point to some advances that are called for if this
potential is indeed to be realized.
Keywords: Performability, model-based evaluation.
Compressed PostScript File:
ipds95.ps.zip