Computer Performance Evaluation: Modelling Techniques and Tools

The argument for performance engineering methods to be employed in comput- communication systems has always been that such systems cannot be designed or modi?ed e?ciently without recourse to some form of predictive model, just as in other ?elds of engineering. This argument has never been more valid than it is with today's highly complex combination of communication and com- ter technologies. These have created the internet, the grid, and diverse types of parallel and distributed computer systems. To be practical, performance - gineering relies on tools to render its use accessible to the non-performance specialist, and in turn these depend on sound techniques that include analytical methods, stochastic models, and simulation. Tools and techniques also need to be parameterised and validated against real world observations, requiring - phisticated measurement techniques in the picosecond cyber-world. The series of "International Conferences on Modelling Techniques and Tools for Computer Performance Evaluation" (TOOLS) has provided a forum for this community of performance engineers with all their diverse interests. TOOLS 2002, held in London in April 2002, was the continuation of this series, which comprises: 1984 Paris 1991 Torino 1997 Saint Malo 1985 Sophia Antipolis 1992 Edinburgh 1998 Palma 1987 Paris 1994 Wien 2000 Chicago 1988 Palma 1995 Heidelberg 2002 London This year we were fortunate to have two prominent invited speakers, Onno Boxma, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Peter Key of Microsoft - search, Cambridge.