Using Non-Intrusive Instrumentation to Analyze any Distributed Middleware in Real-Time

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Dynamic Binary Instrumentation (DBI) is one way to monitor a distributed system in real-time without modifying source code. Previous work has shown it is possible to instrument distributed systems using standards-based distributed middleware. Existing work, however, only applies to a single middleware, such as CORBA. This thesis therefore presents a tool named the Standards-based Distributed Middleware Monitor (SDMM), which generalizes two modern standards-based distributed middleware, the Data Distribution Service (DDS) and gRemote Procedure Call (gRPC). SDMM uses DBI to extract values and other data relevant to monitoring a distributed system in real-time. Using dynamic instrumentation allows SDMM to capture information without a priori knowledge of the distributed system under instrumentation. We applied SDMM to systems created with two DDS vendors, RTI Connext DDS and OpenDDS, as well as gRPC which is a complete remote procedure call framework. Our results show that the data collection process contributes to less than 2% of the run-time overhead in all test cases

Efficient runtime management for enabling sustainable performance in real-world mobile applications

Mobile devices have become integral parts of our society. They handle our diverse computing needs from simple daily tasks (i.e., text messaging, e-mail) to complex graphics and media processing under a limited battery budget. Mobile system-on-chip (SoC) designs have become increasingly sophisticated to handle performance needs of diverse workloads and to improve user experience. Unfortunately, power and thermal constraints have also emerged as major concerns. Increased power densities and temperatures substantially impair user experience due to frequent throttling as well as diminishing device reliability and battery life. Addressing these concerns becomes increasingly challenging due to increased complexities at both hardware (e.g., heterogeneous CPUs, accelerators) and software (e.g., vast number of applications, multi-threading). Enabling sustained user experience in face of these challenges requires (1) practical runtime management solutions that can reason about the performance needs of users and applications while optimizing power and temperature; (2) tools for analyzing real-world mobile application behavior and performance. This thesis aims at improving sustained user experience under thermal limitations by incorporating insights from real-world mobile applications into runtime management. This thesis first proposes thermally-efficient and Quality-of-Service (QoS) aware runtime management techniques to enable sustained performance. Our work leverages inherent QoS tolerance of users in real-world applications and introduces QoS-temperature tradeoff as a viable control knob to improve user experience under thermal constraints. We present a runtime control framework, QScale, which manages CPU power and scheduling decisions to optimize temperature while strictly adhering to given QoS targets. We also design a framework, Maestro, which provides autonomous and application-aware management of QoS-temperature tradeoffs. Maestro uses our thermally-efficient QoS control framework, QScale, as its foundation. This thesis also presents tools to facilitate studies of real-world mobile applications. We design a practical record and replay system, RandR, to generate repeatable executions of mobile applications. RandR provides this capability by automatically reproducing non-deterministic input sources in mobile applications such as user inputs and network events. Finally, we focus on the non-deterministic executions in Android malware which seek to evade analysis environments. We propose the Proteus system to identify the instruction-level inputs that reveal analysis environments

Identifying and diagnosing video streaming performance issues

On-line video streaming is an ever evolving ecosystem of services and technologies, where content providers are on a constant race to satisfy the users' demand for richer content and higher bitrate streams, updated set of features and cross-platform compatibility. At the same time, network operators are required to ensure that the requested video streams are delivered through the network with a satisfactory quality in accordance with the existing Service Level Agreements (SLA). However, tracking and maintaining satisfactory video Quality of Experience (QoE) has become a greater challenge for operators than ever before. With the growing popularity of content engagement on handheld devices and over wireless connections, new points-of-failure have added to the list of failures that can affect the video quality. Moreover, the adoption of end-to-end encryption by major streaming services has rendered previously used QoE diagnosis methods obsolete. In this thesis, we identify the current challenges in identifying and diagnosing video streaming issues and we propose novel approaches in order to address them. More specifically, the thesis initially presents methods and tools to identify a wide array of QoE problems and the severity with which they affect the users' experience. The next part of the thesis deals with the investigation of methods to locate under-performing parts of the network that lead to drop of the delivered quality of a service. In this context, we propose a data-driven methodology for detecting the under performing areas of cellular network with sub-optimal Quality of Service (QoS) and video QoE. Moreover, we develop and evaluate a multi-vantage point framework that is capable of diagnosing the underlying faults that cause the disruption of the user's experience. The last part of this work, further explores the detection of network performance anomalies and introduces a novel method for detecting such issues using contextual information. This approach provides higher accuracy when detecting network faults in the presence of high variation and can benefit providers to perform early detection of anomalies before they result in QoE issues.La distribución de vídeo online es un ecosistema de servicios y tecnologías, donde los proveedores de contenidos se encuentran en una carrera continua para satisfacer las demandas crecientes de los usuarios de más riqueza de contenido, velocidad de transmisión, funcionalidad y compatibilidad entre diferentes plataformas. Asimismo, los operadores de red deben asegurar que los contenidos demandados son entregados a través de la red con una calidad satisfactoria según los acuerdos existentes de nivel de servicio (en inglés Service Level Agreement o SLA). Sin embargo, la monitorización y el mantenimiento de un nivel satisfactorio de la calidad de experiencia (en inglés Quality of Experience o QoE) del vídeo online se ha convertido en un reto mayor que nunca para los operadores. Dada la creciente popularidad del consumo de contenido con dispositivos móviles y a través de redes inalámbricas, han aparecido nuevos puntos de fallo que se han añadido a la lista de problemas que pueden afectar a la calidad del vídeo transmitido. Adicionalmente, la adopción de sistemas de encriptación extremo a extremo, por parte de los servicios más importantes de distribución de vídeo online, ha dejado obsoletos los métodos existentes de diagnóstico de la QoE. En esta tesis se identifican los retos actuales en la identificación y diagnóstico de los problemas de transmisión de vídeo online, y se proponen nuevas soluciones para abordar estos problemas. Más concretamente, inicialmente la tesis presenta métodos y herramientas para identificar un conjunto amplio de problemas de QoE y la severidad con los que estos afectan a la experiencia de los usuarios. La siguiente parte de la tesis investiga métodos para localizar partes de la red con un rendimiento bajo que resultan en una disminución de la calidad del servicio ofrecido. En este contexto, se propone una metodología basada en el análisis de datos para detectar áreas de la red móvil que ofrecen un nivel subóptimo de calidad de servicio (en inglés Quality of Service o QoS) y QoE. Además, se desarrolla y se evalúa una solución basada en múltiples puntos de medida que es capaz de diagnosticar los problemas subyacentes que causan la alteración de la experiencia de usuario. La última parte de este trabajo explora adicionalmente la detección de anomalías de rendimiento de la red y presenta un nuevo método para detectar estas situaciones utilizando información contextual. Este enfoque proporciona una mayor precisión en la detección de fallos de la red en presencia de alta variabilidad y puede ayudar a los proveedores a la detección precoz de anomalías antes de que se conviertan en problemas de QoE.La distribució de vídeo online és un ecosistema de serveis i tecnologies, on els proveïdors de continguts es troben en una cursa continua per satisfer les demandes creixents del usuaris de més riquesa de contingut, velocitat de transmissió, funcionalitat i compatibilitat entre diferents plataformes. A la vegada, els operadors de xarxa han d’assegurar que els continguts demandats són entregats a través de la xarxa amb una qualitat satisfactòria segons els acords existents de nivell de servei (en anglès Service Level Agreement o SLA). Tanmateix, el monitoratge i el manteniment d’un nivell satisfactori de la qualitat d’experiència (en anglès Quality of Experience o QoE) del vídeo online ha esdevingut un repte més gran que mai per als operadors. Donada la creixent popularitat del consum de contingut amb dispositius mòbils i a través de xarxes sense fils, han aparegut nous punts de fallada que s’han afegit a la llista de problemes que poden afectar a la qualitat del vídeo transmès. Addicionalment, l’adopció de sistemes d’encriptació extrem a extrem, per part dels serveis més importants de distribució de vídeo online, ha deixat obsolets els mètodes existents de diagnòstic de la QoE. En aquesta tesi s’identifiquen els reptes actuals en la identificació i diagnòstic dels problemes de transmissió de vídeo online, i es proposen noves solucions per abordar aquests problemes. Més concretament, inicialment la tesi presenta mètodes i eines per identificar un conjunt ampli de problemes de QoE i la severitat amb la que aquests afecten a la experiència dels usuaris. La següent part de la tesi investiga mètodes per localitzar parts de la xarxa amb un rendiment baix que resulten en una disminució de la qualitat del servei ofert. En aquest context es proposa una metodologia basada en l’anàlisi de dades per detectar àrees de la xarxa mòbil que ofereixen un nivell subòptim de qualitat de servei (en anglès Quality of Service o QoS) i QoE. A més, es desenvolupa i s’avalua una solució basada en múltiples punts de mesura que és capaç de diagnosticar els problemes subjacents que causen l’alteració de l’experiència d’usuari. L’última part d’aquest treball explora addicionalment la detecció d’anomalies de rendiment de la xarxa i presenta un nou mètode per detectar aquestes situacions utilitzant informació contextual. Aquest enfoc proporciona una major precisió en la detecció de fallades de la xarxa en presencia d’alta variabilitat i pot ajudar als proveïdors a la detecció precoç d’anomalies abans de que es converteixin en problemes de QoE.Postprint (published version

A retrot current sensor for non-intrusive power monitoring at the circuit breaker

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2011.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis. Page 222 blank.Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-221).This thesis presents a new sensor for power monitoring that measures current flow in a circuit breaker without permanent modification of the breaker panel or the circuit breaker itself. At the breaker panel, an inductive pickup and low-power amplifier sense current from the breaker face. Two coupled resonators form an inductive link that serves as a communication channel through the steel breaker panel door. A passive, balanced JFET mixer circuit transmits the sensed current signal through the inductive link by impedance modulation. Outside of the breaker panel door, sense circuitry detects the impedance modulation, and a digitally implemented compensator inverts the non-uniform frequency response of the analog sensor circuitry to reconstruct the original current signal. This sensor provides a solution for low-cost, non-intrusive retrofit of any circuit breaker panel for centralized power monitoring.by Daniel Robert Vickery.M.Eng

Monitoring & Assessment of EU RDI results

The purpose is to monitor, assess and evaluate the implementation of the WATERBORNE Research Strategy at EU and National/Regional levels and evaluate the RDI results. (Remark: A complete picture requires access to the needed information from the project managers. Transparency and support of the public funding agencies would be necessary). This task will develop and implement consistent approaches (including parameters and measurements) to monitor and assess:  the impact of the WATERBORNE Research Strategy documents (highlighting the priorities) on EU and national research programmes by establishing which topics/priorities have been or are being funded;  the progress of the state of the art to be mapped against the WIRM 2007, establishing the state of advance of the implementation of the WSRA. These results should provide input for the updating of the WATERBORNE Research Strategy documents

NASA/American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Summer Faculty Fellowship Program, 1985

The 1985 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Research Program was conducted by Texas A&M University and the Johnson Space Center. The ten week program was operated under the auspices of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). The faculty fellows spent the time at JSC engaged in research projects commensurate with their interests and background and worked in collaboration with NASA/JSC colleagues. This document is a compilation of the final reports of their research during the summer of 1985

Multivariate knock detection for development and production applications

Combustion knock is a limiting factor in the efficiency of spark ignition internal combustion engines. Therefore, optimization of design and control dictates that an engine must operate as close to the knock limits as possible without allowing knock to occur. This is the challenge presented for knock detection systems. In-cylinder pressure techniques are considered the most reliable method for knock detection; however, installation of pressure transducers in the combustion chamber is both difficult and expensive. This leads to the requirement of a low cost, non-intrusive alternative. Although the current vibration-based methods meet these requirements, their susceptibility to background noise greatly reduces their effectiveness. Thus, the goal of consistently achieving the optimal operating conditions cannot be achieved. This research involves the use of multivariate analysis of vibration-based knock signals to improve the detection system reliability through enhanced signal to noise ratio. The techniques proposed apply a relatively new philosophy developed by Genichi Taguchi for pattern recognition based on the statistical parameter Mahalanobis Distance. Application of these methods results in the development of a new knock detection strategy which shows a significant improvement in determining the presence of knock. The development and validation of this vibration-based system required the use of in-cylinder pressure data for initial classification of knocking and non-knocking operation. This necessitated an independent study to validate pressure transducer type and mounting location. Results of this study are detailed herein

ME-EM 2005 Annual Report

Table of Contents Overview, Mission, and Vision Comments on the Strategic Plan Enrollment and Expenditure Data Professional Advisory Committee Faculty & Staff Students Alumni Entrepreneurs Resources Graduates Publicationshttps://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/mechanical-annualreports/1013/thumbnail.jp

Optical measurement of acoustic velocity fields

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D87614 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo