Queueing analysis of a canonical model of real-time multiprocessors

A logical classification of multiprocessor structures from the point of view of control applications is presented. A computation of the response time distribution for a canonical model of a real time multiprocessor is presented. The multiprocessor is approximated by a blocking model. Two separate models are derived: one created from the system's point of view, and the other from the point of view of an incoming task

Characterization of real-time computers

A real-time system consists of a computer controller and controlled processes. Despite the synergistic relationship between these two components, they have been traditionally designed and analyzed independently of and separately from each other; namely, computer controllers by computer scientists/engineers and controlled processes by control scientists. As a remedy for this problem, in this report real-time computers are characterized by performance measures based on computer controller response time that are: (1) congruent to the real-time applications, (2) able to offer an objective comparison of rival computer systems, and (3) experimentally measurable/determinable. These measures, unlike others, provide the real-time computer controller with a natural link to controlled processes. In order to demonstrate their utility and power, these measures are first determined for example controlled processes on the basis of control performance functionals. They are then used for two important real-time multiprocessor design applications - the number-power tradeoff and fault-masking and synchronization

Modeling and measurement of fault-tolerant multiprocessors

The workload effects on computer performance are addressed first for a highly reliable unibus multiprocessor used in real-time control. As an approach to studing these effects, a modified Stochastic Petri Net (SPN) is used to describe the synchronous operation of the multiprocessor system. From this model the vital components affecting performance can be determined. However, because of the complexity in solving the modified SPN, a simpler model, i.e., a closed priority queuing network, is constructed that represents the same critical aspects. The use of this model for a specific application requires the partitioning of the workload into job classes. It is shown that the steady state solution of the queuing model directly produces useful results. The use of this model in evaluating an existing system, the Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor (FTMP) at the NASA AIRLAB, is outlined with some experimental results. Also addressed is the technique of measuring fault latency, an important microscopic system parameter. Most related works have assumed no or a negligible fault latency and then performed approximate analyses. To eliminate this deficiency, a new methodology for indirectly measuring fault latency is presented

Synchronization and fault-masking in redundant real-time systems

A real time computer may fail because of massive component failures or not responding quickly enough to satisfy real time requirements. An increase in redundancy - a conventional means of improving reliability - can improve the former but can - in some cases - degrade the latter considerably due to the overhead associated with redundancy management, namely the time delay resulting from synchronization and voting/interactive consistency techniques. The implications of synchronization and voting/interactive consistency algorithms in N-modular clusters on reliability are considered. All these studies were carried out in the context of real time applications. As a demonstrative example, we have analyzed results from experiments conducted at the NASA Airlab on the Software Implemented Fault Tolerance (SIFT) computer. This analysis has indeed indicated that in most real time applications, it is better to employ hardware synchronization instead of software synchronization and not allow reconfiguration

Gauge potential singularities and the gluon condensate at finite temperatures

The continuum limit of SU(2) lattice gauge theory is carefully investigated at zero and at finite temperatures. It is found that the continuum gauge field has singularities originating from center degrees of freedom being discovered in Landau gauge. Our numerical results show that the density of these singularities properly extrapolates to a non-vanishing continuum limit. The action density of the non-trivial Z_2 links is tentatively identified with the gluon condensate. We find for temperatures larger than the deconfinement temperature that the thermal fluctuations of the embedded Z_2 gauge theory result in an increase of the gluon condensate with increasing temperature.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, talk presented by K. Langfeld at the 19th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (LATTICE2001), Berlin, 19.-24.8.2001, to appear in the proceeding

Three-dimensional metamaterials with an ultra-high effective refractive index over broad bandwidth

The authors introduce a general mechanism, based on electrostatic and magnetostatic considerations, for designing three-dimensional isotopic metamaterials that possess an enhanced refractive index over an extremely large frequency range. The mechanism allows nearly independent control of effective electric permittivity and magnetic permeability without the use of resonant elements

Shortcuts to adiabaticity for an ion in a rotating radially-tight trap

We engineer the fast rotation of a quantum particle confined in an effectively one-dimensional, harmonic trap, for a predetermined rotation angle and time, avoiding final excitation. Different schemes are proposed with different speed limits that depend on the control capabilities. We also make use of trap rotations to create squeezed states without manipulating the trap frequencies.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure