A Mean Value Analysis approach to transaction performance evaluation of multi‐server systems

In this paper, we introduce a Mean Value Analysis (MVA)‐based methodology for the performance evaluation of transactions executed in a multi‐server distributed system. We first present probabilistic arguments to investigate under which conditions MVA models provide worst‐case response times, without large overshoots. Then, we show how to characterize the distributed server system so as to construct a model to predict response times as well as to estimate system capacity. Finally, we exemplify the methodology usage via transactions implemented in two distributed Linux systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.