The need for high computing resources is on the rise, despite the exponential increase of the computing capacity of workstations, the proliferation of mobile devices, and the omnipresence of data centers with massive server farms that housed tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of powerful servers. This is mainly due to the unprecedented increase in the number of Internet users worldwide and the Internet of Things (IoTs). So far, Cloud Computing has been providing the necessary computing infrastructures for applications, including IoT applications. However, the current cloud infrastructures that are based on dedicated datacenters are expensive to set-up; running the infrastructure needs expertise, a lot of electrical power for cooling the facilities, and redundant supply of everything in a data center to provide the desired resilience. Moreover, the current centralized cloud infrastructures will not suffice for IoT's network intensive applications with very fast response requirements. Alternative cloud computing models that depend on spare resources of volunteer computers are emerging, including volunteer cloud computing, in addition to the conventional data center based clouds. These alternative cloud models have one characteristic in common -- they do not rely on dedicated data centers to provide the cloud services. Volunteer clouds are opportunistic cloud systems that run over donated spare resources of volunteer computers. On the one hand, volunteer clouds claim numerous outstanding advantages: affordability, on-premise, self-provision, greener computing (owing to consolidate use of existent computers), etc. On the other hand, full-fledged implementation of volunteer cloud computing raises unique technical and research challenges: management of highly dynamic and heterogeneous compute resources, Quality of Service (QoS) assurance, meeting Service Level Agreement (SLA), reliability, security/trust, which are all made more difficult due to the high dynamics and heterogeneity of the non-dedicated cloud hosts. This dissertation investigates the resource management aspect of volunteer cloud computing. Due to the intermittent availability and heterogeneity of computing resource involved, resource management is one of the challenging tasks in volunteer cloud computing. The dissertation, specifically, focuses on the Resource Discovery and VM Placement tasks of resource management. The resource base over which volunteer cloud computing depends on is a scavenged, sporadically available, aggregate computing power of individual volunteer computers. Delivering reliable cloud services over these unreliable nodes is a big challenge in volunteer cloud computing. The fault tolerance of the whole system rests on the reliability and availability of the infrastructure base. This dissertation discusses the modelling of a fault tolerant prediction based resource discovery in volunteer cloud computing. It presents a multi-state semi-Markov process based model to predict the future availability and reliability of nodes in volunteer cloud systems. A volunteer node is modelled as a semi-Markov process, whose future state depends only on its current state. This exactly matches with a key observation made in analyzing the traces of personal computers in enterprises that the daily patterns of resource availability are comparable to those in the most recent days. The dissertation illustrates how prediction based resource discovery enables volunteer cloud systems to provide reliable cloud services over the unreliable and non-dedicated volunteer hosts with empirical evidences. VM placement algorithms play crucial role in Cloud Computing in fulfilling its characteristics and achieving its objectives. In general, VM placement is a challenging problem that has been extensively studied in conventional Cloud Computing context. Due to its divergent characteristics, volunteer cloud computing needs a novel and unique way of solving the existing Cloud Computing problems, including VM placement. Intermittent availability of nodes, unreliable infrastructure, and resource constrained nodes are some of the characteristics of volunteer cloud computing that make VM placement problem more complicated. In this dissertation, we model the VM placement problem as a \textit{Bounded 0-1 Multi-Dimensional Knapsack Problem}. As a known NP-hard problem, the dissertation discusses heuristic based algorithms that takes the typical characteristics of volunteer cloud computing into consideration, to solve the VM placement problem formulated as a knapsack problem. Three algorithms are developed to meet the objectives and constraints specific to volunteer cloud computing. The algorithms are tested on a real volunteer cloud computing test-bed and showed a good performance results based on their optimization objectives. The dissertation also presents the design and implementation of a real volunteer cloud computing system, cuCloud, that bases its resource infrastructure on donated computing resource of computers. The need for the development of cuCloud stems from the lack of experimentation platform, real or simulation, that specifically works for volunteer cloud computing. The cuCloud is a system that can be called a genuine volunteer cloud computing system, which manifests the concept of ``Volunteer Computing as a Service'' (VCaaS), with a particular significance in edge computing and related applications. In the course of this dissertation, empirical evaluations show that volunteer clouds can be used to execute range of applications reliably and efficiently. Moreover, the physical proximity of volunteer nodes to where applications originate, edge of the network, helps them in reducing the round trip time latency of applications. However, the overall computing capability of volunteer clouds will not suffice to handle highly resource intensive applications by itself. Based on these observations, the dissertation also proposes the use of volunteer clouds as a resource fabric in the emerging Edge Computing paradigm as a future work.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T17:35:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo3630_1.pdf: 2374215 bytes, checksum: 64f9cdc75ffa8167dff3140c0b1e48a2 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Petróleo Brasileiro S/A / Processos semi-Markovianos (SMP) contínuos no tempo são importantes ferramentas estocásticas para modelagem de métricas de confiabilidade ao longo do tempo para sistemas para os quais o comportamento futuro depende dos estados presente e seguinte assim como do tempo de residência. O método clássico para resolver as probabilidades intervalares de transição de SMP consiste em aplicar diretamente um método geral de quadratura às equações integrais. Entretanto, esta técnica possui um esforço computacional considerável, isto é, N2 equações integrais conjugadas devem ser resolvidas, onde N é o número de estados. Portanto, esta tese propõe tratamentos matemáticos e numéricos mais eficientes para SMP. O primeiro método, o qual é denominado 2N-, é baseado em densidades de frequência de transição e métodos gerais de quadratura. Basicamente, o método 2N consiste em resolver N equações integrais conjugadas e N integrais diretas. Outro método proposto, chamado Lap-, é baseado na aplicação de transformadas de Laplace as quais são invertidas por um método de quadratura Gaussiana, chamado Gauss Legendre, para obter as probabilidades de estado no domínio do tempo. Formulação matemática destes métodos assim como descrições de seus tratamentos numéricos, incluindo questões de exatidão e tempo para convergência, são desenvolvidas e fornecidas com detalhes. A efetividade dos novos desenvolvimentos 2N- e Lap- serão comparados contra os resultados fornecidos pelo método clássico por meio de exemplos no contexto de engenharia de confiabilidade. A partir destes exemplos, é mostrado que os métodos 2N- e Lap- são significantemente menos custosos e têm acurácia comparável ao método clássico

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Yes / In large industrial systems, alarm management is one of the most important issues to improve the safety and efficiency of systems in practice. Operators of such systems often have to deal with a numerous number of simultaneous alarms. Different kinds of thresholding or filtration are applied to decrease alarm nuisance and improve performance indices, such as Averaged Alarm Delay (ADD), Missed Alarm and False Alarm Rates (MAR and FAR). Among threshold-based approaches, variable thresholding methods are well-known for reducing the alarm nuisance and improving the performance of the alarm system. However, the literature suffers from the lack of an appropriate method to assess performance parameters of Variable Threshold Alarm Systems (VTASs). This study introduces two types of variable thresholding and proposes a novel approach for performance assessment of VTASs using Priority-AND gate and semi-Markov process. Application of semi-Markov process allows the proposed approach to consider industrial measurements with non-Gaussian distributions. In addition, the paper provides a genetic algorithm based optimized design process for optimal parameter setting to improve performance indices. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated via three numerical examples and through a comparison with previous studies. / Noavaran Electronic Adar Sameh company [Grant NO: IRAM17S1].

Safety analysis is critical when developing new engineering systems. Many systems have to function under randomly occurring events, making stochastic processes useful in a safety modelling context. However, a general stochastic process is very challenging to analyse mathematically. Therefore, model restrictions are necessary to simplify the mathematical analysis. A popular simplified stochastic model is the Semi-Markov process (SMP), which is a generalization of the "memoryless" continuous-time Markov chain. However, only a subclass of Semi-Markov models can be analysed with non-simulation based methods. In these models, the cumulative density function (cdf) of the random variables describing the system is in the form of expolynomials. This thesis investigates the possibility to extend the number of Semi-Markov models that can be analysed with non-simulation based methods by approximating the non-expolynomial random variables with expolynomials. This thesis focus on approximation of models partially described by LogNormal and Weibull distributed random variables. The result shows that it is possible to approximate some Semi-Markov models with non-expolynomial random variables. However, there is an increasing difficulty in approximating a non-expolynomial random variable when the variability in the distribution increases. / Säkerhetsanalys är avgörande när man utvecklar nya tekniska system. Många system måste fungera under slumpmässigt inträffande händelser, vilket gör stokastiska processer användbara i ett säkerhetsmodellerande sammanhang. En allmän stokastisk process är dock mycket utmanande att analysera matematiskt. Därför är begränsningar på modellen nödvändiga för att förenkla den matematiska analysen. En populär förenklad stokastisk modell är Semi-Markov-processen (SMP), vilket är en generalisering av den "minneslösa" tids-kontinuerliga Markov-kedjan. Dock är det endast en underklass av Semi-Markov-modeller som kan analyseras med icke-simuleringsbaserade metoder. I dessa modeller är den kumulativa densitetsfunktionen (cdf) för de slumpmässiga variablerna som beskriver systemet i form av expolynomials. Denna rapport undersöker möjligheten att utöka antalet Semi-Markov-modeller som kan analyseras med icke-simuleringsbaserade metoder genom att approximera de icke-expolynomial slumpvariablerna med expolynomials. Vi fokuserar på approximering av modeller som delvis beskrivs av LogNormal distribuerade och Weibull distribuerade slumpmässiga variabler. Resultatet visar att det är möjligt att approximera vissa stokastiska variabler som är icke-expolynomial i Semi-Markov-modeller. Resultatet visar dock att det är en ökande svårighet att approximera en icke-expolynomial slumpmässiga variabeln när variabiliteten i fördelningen ökar.

In recent times, credit risk analysis has grown to become one of the most important problems dealt with in the mathematical finance literature. Fundamentally, the problem deals with estimating the probability that an obligor defaults on their debt in a certain time. To obtain such a probability, several methods have been developed which are regulated by the Basel Accord. This establishes a legal framework for dealing with credit and market risks, and empowers banks to perform their own methodologies according to their interests under certain criteria. Credit risk analysis is founded on the rating system, which is an assessment of the capability of an obligor to make its payments in full and on time, in order to estimate risks and make the investor decisions easier.Credit risk models can be classified into several different categories. In structural form models (SFM), that are founded on the Black & Scholes theory for option pricing and the Merton model, it is assumed that default occurs if a firm's market value is lower than a threshold, most often its liabilities. The problem is that this is clearly is an unrealistic assumption. The factors models (FM) attempt to predict the random default time by assuming a hazard rate based on latent exogenous and endogenous variables. Reduced form models (RFM) mainly focus on the accuracy of the probability of default (PD), to such an extent that it is given more importance than an intuitive economical interpretation. Portfolio reduced form models (PRFM) belong to the RFM family, and were developed to overcome the SFM's difficulties.Most of these models are based on the assumption of having an underlying Markovian process, either in discrete or continuous time. For a discrete process, the main information is containted in a transition matrix, from which we obtain migration probabilities. However, according to previous analysis, it has been found that this approach contains embedding problems. The continuous time Markov process (CTMP) has its main information contained in a matrix Q of constant instantaneous transition rates between states. Both approaches assume that the future depends only on the present, though previous empirical analysis has proved that the probability of changing rating depends on the time a firm maintains the same rating. In order to face this difficulty we approach the PD with the continuous time semi-Markov process (CTSMP), which relaxes the exponential waiting time distribution assumption of the Markovian analogue.In this work we have relaxed the constant transition rate assumption and assumed that it depends on the residence time, thus we have derived CTSMP forward integral and differential equations respectively and the corresponding equations for the particular cases of exponential, gamma and power law waiting time distributions, we have also obtained a numerical solution of the migration probability by the Monte Carlo Method and compared the results with the Markovian models in discrete and continuous time respectively, and the discrete time semi-Markov process. We have focused on firms from U.S.A. and Canada classified as financial sector according to Global Industry Classification Standard and we have concluded that the gamma and Weibull distribution are the best adjustment models.

Markov processes have a long history of being used to model safety critical systems. However, with the development of autonomous vehicles and their increased complexity, Markov processes have been shown to not be sufficiently precise for reliability calculations. Therefore there has been the need to consider a more general stochastic process, namely the Semi-Markov process (SMP). SMPs allow for transitions with general distributions between different states and can be used to precisely model complex systems. This comes at the cost of increased complexity when calculating the reliability of systems. As such, methods to increase the interpretability of the system and allow for appropriate approximations have been considered and researched. In this thesis, a novel classification approach for transitions in SMP has been defined and complemented with different conjectures and properties. A transition is classified as good or bad by comparing the reliability of the original system with the reliability of any perturbed system, for which the studied transition is more likely to occur. Cases are presented to illustrate the use of this classification technique. Multiple suggestions and conjectures for future work are also presented and discussed. / Markovprocesser har länge använts för att modellera säkerhetskritiska system. Med utvecklingen av autonoma fordon och deras ökade komplexitet, har dock markovprocesser visat sig vara otillräckliga exakta för tillförlitlighetsberäkningar. Därför har det funnits ett behov för en mer allmän stokastisk process, nämligen semi-markovprocessen (SMP). SMP tillåter generella fördelningar mellan tillstånd och kan användas för att modellera komplexa system med hög noggrannhet. Detta innebär dock en ökad komplexitet vid beräkningen av systemens tillförlitlighet. Metoder för att öka systemets tolkningsbarhet och möjliggöra lämpliga approximationer har därför övervägts och undersökts. I den här masteruppsatsen har en ny klassificeringsmetod för övergångar i SMP definierats och kompletteras med olika antaganden och egenskaper. En övergång klassificeras som antingen bra eller dålig genom en jämförelse av tillförlitligheten i det ursprungliga systemets och ett ändrat system, där den studerade övergången har högre sannolikhet att inträffa. Fallstudier presenteras för att exemplifiera användningen av denna klassificeringsteknik. Flera förslag och antaganden för framtida arbete presenteras och diskuteras också.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de construire un framework qui représente les incertitudes aléatoires et épistémiques basé sur les approches probabilistes et des théories d’incertain, de comparer les méthodes et de trouver les propres applications sur les grands systèmes avec événement rares. Dans la thèse, une méthode de normalité asymptotique a été proposée avec simulation de Monte Carlo dans les cas binaires ainsi qu'un modèle semi-Markovien dans les cas de systèmes multi-états dynamiques. On a aussi appliqué la théorie d’ensemble aléatoire comme un modèle de base afin d’évaluer la fiabilité et les autres indicateurs de performance dans les systèmes binaires et multi-états avec technique bootstrap. / Our research objective is to build frameworks representing both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties based on probabilistic approach and uncertainty approaches and to compare these methods and find the proper applicatin for these methods in large scale systems with rare event. In this thesis, an asymptotic normality method is proposed with Monte Carlo simulation in case of binary systems as well as semi-Markov model for cases of dynamic multistate system. We also apply random set as a basic model to evaluate system reliability and other performance indices on binary and multistate systems with bootstrap technique.

Several manufacturers of road vehicles today are working on developing autonomous vehicles. One subject that is often up for discussion when it comes to integrating autonomous road vehicles into the infrastructure is the safety aspect. There is in the context no common view of how safety should be quantified. As a contribution to this discussion we propose describing each potential hazardous event of a vehicle as a Semi-Markov Process (SMP). A reliability-based method for using the semi-Markov representation to calculate the probability of a hazardous event to occur is presented. The method simplifies the expression for the reliability using the Laplace-Stieltjes transform and calculates the transform of the reliability exactly. Numerical inversion algorithms are then applied to approximate the reliability up to a desired error tolerance. The method is validated using alternative techniques and is thereafter applied to a system for automated steering based on a real example from the industry. A desired evolution of the method is to involve a framework for how to represent each hazardous event as a SMP. / Flertalet tillverkare av vägfordon jobbar idag på att utveckla autonoma fordon. Ett ämne ofta på agendan i diskussionen om att integrera autonoma fordon på vägarna är säkerhet. Det finns i sammanhanget ingen klar bild över hur säkerhet ska kvantifieras. Som ett bidrag till denna diskussion föreslås här att beskriva varje potentiellt farlig situation av ett fordon som en Semi-Markov process (SMP). En metod presenteras för att via beräkning av funktionssäkerheten nyttja semi-Markov representationen för att beräkna sannolikheten för att en farlig situation ska uppstå. Metoden nyttjar Laplace-Stieltjes transformen för att förenkla uttrycket för funktionssäkerheten och beräknar transformen av funktionssäkerheten exakt. Numeriska algoritmer för den inversa transformen appliceras sedan för att beräkna funktionssäkerheten upp till en viss feltolerans. Metoden valideras genom alternativa tekniker och appliceras sedan på ett system för autonom styrning baserat på ett riktigt exempel från industrin. En fördelaktig utveckling av metoden som presenteras här skulle vara att involvera ett ramverk för hur varje potentiellt farlig situation ska representeras som en SMP.

In this thesis, nonlinearly perturbed stochastic models in discrete time are considered. We give algorithms for construction of asymptotic expansions with respect to the perturbation parameter for various quantities of interest. In particular, asymptotic expansions are given for solutions of renewal equations, quasi-stationary distributions for semi-Markov processes, and ruin probabilities for risk processes. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript. Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>