Title: Continuous approximation of PEPA models and Petri nets

Authors: Vashti Galpin

Addresses: LFCS, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB, Scotland, UK

Abstract: Modelling very large systems that consist of many similar components can lead to a state space explosion. A continuous approximation of the system can be used to avoid this problem. In the stochastic process algebra, PEPA, models with large numbers of identical components can be approximated in a continuous fashion by a set of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Similarly, timed continuous Petri nets can be used to approximate behaviour via ODEs where there are many servers. These two approaches are compared and infinite and finite server semantics are considered.

Keywords: PEPA; large systems modelling; performance evaluation; stochastic process algebra; Petri nets; continuous approximation; translation; exponential rates; state space explosion; ordinary differential equations; ODEs; fluid flow semantics; server semantics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAET.2010.035389

International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 2010 Vol.2 No.4, pp.324 - 339

Published online: 30 Sep 2010 *

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