Feedback Control of Computing Systems

This is the first practical treatment of the design and application of feedback control of computing systems. MATLAB files for the solution of problems and case studies accompany the text throughout. The book discusses information technology examples, such as maximizing the efficiency of Lotus Notes.
This book results from the authors' research into the use of control theory to model and control computing systems. This has important implications to the way engineers and researchers approach different resource management problems. This guide is well suited for professionals and researchers in information technology and computer science. Preface.

PART I: BACKGROUND.

1. Introduction and Overview.

PART II: SYSTEM MODELING.

2. Model Construction.

3. Z-Transforms and Transfer Functions.

4. System Modeling with Block Diagrams.

5. First-Order Systems.

6. Higher-Order Systems.

7. State-Space Models.

PART III: CONTROL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN.

8. Proportional Control.

9. PID Controllers.

10. State-Space Feedback Control.

11. Advanced Topics.

Appendix A: Mathematical Notation.

Appendix B: Acronyms.

Appendix C: Key Results.

Appendix D: Essentials of Linear Algebra.

Appendix E: MATLAB Basics.

References.

Index.

"..does excel at familiarizing computer scientists and practitioners with control-theoretic concepts and the idea of feedback...greatly enhanced by the exercises and extended examples." (IEEE Control Systems Magazine, April 2007)

"The book is intensely practical…interesting and useful…" (Computing Reviews.com, January 10, 2005)

JOSEPH L. HELLERSTEIN, YIXIN DIAO, and SUJAY PAREKH are researchers at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Hawthorne, New York. They are also adjunct professors at Columbia University, where they are using this book to teach a class on feedback control to computer science students.

DAWN M. TILBURY is Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan.

A pioneering reference on control theory designed specifically for computer professionals

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.