Feedback Control of Computing Systems

In today’s computerized economy, the profitability and availability of many businesses rely on a clear understanding of the dynamics of their computing systems, especially how they relate to changes in workloads and configuration. Frequent, dramatic changes in these areas can degrade programs and even cause failures, as often demonstrated on a company’s eCommerce site.

In the first book ever to address this vital issue, Feedback Control of Computing Systems offers program designers and computer scientists a hands-on resource that distills the essentials of control theory needed to effectively address these issues. Primarily intended for professionals engaged in the analysis and design of computing systems, who often lack the conceptual tools to address the dynamics of resource management, the text provides a host of valuable features:

• MATLAB code for the solution of problems and case studies
• Numerous IT examples, such as tuning the Apache HTTP server and the IBM Lotus Domino Server
• Examples carefully chosen to illustrate key concepts and provide the basis for modeling real-world systems
• Several appendices for handy reference

A flexible "road map" approach helps different practitioners use the text in highly targeted ways, depending on their particular focus, making Feedback Control of Computing Systems an invaluable resource for systems designers, IT managers, computer scientists, as well as other researchers in the field.