ICST Conference
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research conference europe communications workshop

SMCTools 2008:
The 3rd International Workshop on Tools for solving
Structured Markov Chains

(Athens, Greece / October 20, 2008)

Call for Papers

SCOPE

Performance evaluation methodologies based on structured Markov chains have taken a more prominent role over the last two decades. During this time, due to the strong exploitation of the involved structures, the techniques used to assess the performance measures of interest have advanced significantly in terms of their efficiency, while becoming more complex at the same time. This increased complexity often acts as an opposing force to a more wide spread use of these advanced methodologies.

Making these novel techniques more accessible via a set of software tools is therefore essential to further promote their integration in the system design.

This workshop solicits papers on both theoretical development and software tools for solving structured Markov chains (MCs); topics include (but are not restricted to):

  • Infinite (countable/continuous) and finite (large) MCs
  • Continuous- and discrete-time MCs
  • Markov decision processes
  • Bounding and approximation methods for large MCs
  • Skip-free (QBD, M/G/1, GI/M/1 type) and non-skip-free MCs
  • Level dependent and independent MCs
  • Tree-structured and tree-like MCs
  • Fluid flow queues
  • MCs with a regenerative structure
  • MCs with tensor structure
  • Nearly completely decomposable MCs
  • Queuing systems with an underlying structured MC

Applications of large MCs for:

  • Performance of computer and communication systems
  • Reliability and security analysis
  • Information retrieval
  • Analysis of biological systems

Authors of accepted papers are strongly encouraged to demonstrate their software tool by means of an interactive presentation.

IMPORTANT DATES

Full Papers due:
Notification of Acceptance:
Camera-ready Manuscripts due:
Conference Date:
 May 20, 2008
July 8, 2008
August 1, 2008
October 20, 2008


SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Conference language is English. All submitted papers will go through a peer review process. All accepted papers will be made available in Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Digital Library. Prospective authors are encouraged to submit a PDF version of the full paper in the ACM conference proceedings format, which are limited to 10 two-column pages in a font no smaller than 10-points. Paper submission will be handled electronically through EasyChair. Authors with no account in the Easychair system should create an account first.