Performance Analysis of a Multiprocessor System Model with Process Communication

Abstract

This work analyses a multiprocessor system in which processes communicate with each other via buffers using SEND and WAIT operations. Since the buffers are of finite capacity, a process which cannot execute a synchronisation operation successfully must leave the processor and go into the blocking state. The analysis of the multiprocessor system is executed hierarchically using two models - (Global Model and Process Communication Model). The interprocess communication is analysed by using the process communication model, a closed queueing network model with finite station capacities. An analytical method is developed for the solution of the process communication model. The method provides exact results for two-station cases and accurate approximate results for multiple station cases. The blocking probabilities and the blocking times of processes are computed from the process communication model and are used as input parameters for the global model which can then be solved by appropriate existing product form network methods. The performance measures such as utilisation, throughput, mean response time, mean queue length, and in particular, the blocking overhead due to the process communication, are obtained. The analytical results are validated by simulation of the entire system.