Simulation based performance analysis of web servers

Abstract

This paper presents a general framework for modeling distributed computing environments for performance analysis by means of Timed Hierarchical Coloured Petri Nets. The proposed framework was used to build and analyze a Coloured Petri Net model of a HTTP web server. Analysis of the performance of the web server model reveals how the web server will respond to changes in the arrival rate of requests, and alternative configurations of the web server model are examined. These are the results of a research project conducted in cooperation between the CPN Centre and Hewlett-Packard Corporation on capacity planning and performance analysis of distributed computing environments.