This dissertation describes a new performance modelling system, called the Performance Evaluating Virtual Parallel Machine (PEVPM). It uses a novel bottom-up approach, where submodels of individual computation and communication events are dynamically constructed from data-dependencies, current contention levels and the performance distributions of low-level operations, which define performance variability in the face of contention.

Electronic publication; full text available in PDF format; abstract in HTML format. This dissertation describes a new performance modelling system, called the Performance Evaluating Virtual Parallel Machine (PEVPM). It uses a novel bottom-up approach, where submodels of individual computation and communication events are dynamically constructed from data-dependencies, current contention levels and the performance distributions of low-level operations, which define performance variability in the face of contention. Electronic reproduction.[Australia] :Australian Digital Theses Program,2001. xvii, 295 p. : ill., charts (col.) ; 30 cm.