Cost-benefit analysis of an SLA mapping approach for defining standardized Cloud computing goods

Due to the large variety in computing resources and, consequently, the large number of different types of service level agreements (SLAs), computing resource markets face the problem of a low market liquidity. Restricting the number of different resource types to a small set of standardized computing resources seems to be the appropriate solution to counteract this problem. Standardized computing resources are defined through an SLA template. An SLA template defines the structure of an SLA, the service attributes, the names of the service attributes, and the service attribute values. However, since existing research results have only introduced static SLA templates so far, the SLA templates cannot reflect changes in user needs and market structures. To address this shortcoming, we present a novel approach of adaptive SLA matching. This approach adapts SLA templates based on SLA mappings of users. It allows Cloud users to define mappings between a public SLA template, which is available in the Cloud market, and their private SLA templates, which are used for various in-house business processes of the Cloud user. Besides showing how public SLA templates are adapted to the demand of Cloud users, we also analyze the costs and benefits of this approach. Costs are incurred every time a user has to define a new SLA mapping to a public SLA template due to its adaptation. In particular, we investigate how the costs differ with respect to the public SLA template adaptation method. The simulation results show that the use of heuristics within adaptation methods allows balancing the costs and benefits of the SLA mapping approach.     

Estimating spine shape in lateral sleep positions using silhouette-derived body shape models

This study aims at evaluating spinal alignment during sleep by combining personalized human models with mattress indentation measurements. A generic surface model has been developed that can be personalized based on anthropometric parameters derived from silhouette extraction. Shape assessment of the personalized surface models, performed by comparison with 3-D surface scans of the trunk, showed a mean unsigned distance of 9.77 mm between modeled and scanned surface meshes. The surface model is combined with an inner skeleton model, allowing the model to simulate distinct sleep postures. An automatic fitting algorithm sets the appropriate degrees of freedom to position the model on the measured indentation according to the adopted sleep posture. Validation on lateral sleep positions showed good intraclass correlations (0.73–0.88) between estimated and measured angular spinal deformations, indicating that silhouette-derived body shape models provide a valuable tool for the unobtrusive assessment of spinal alignment during sleep.Relevance to industry: A common drawback of the available techniques to assess spinal deformation on bedding systems is that they interfere with the actual sleep process. The current study presents a novel method based on silhouette-derived body shape models in order to estimate spine shape during sleep unobtrusively.     

How to take into account general and contextual knowledge for interactive aiding design: Towards the coupling of CSP and CBR approaches

The goal of this paper is to show how it is possible to support design decisions with two different tools relying on two kinds of knowledge: case-based reasoning operating with contextual knowledge embodied in past cases and constraint filtering that operates with general knowledge formalized using constraints. Our goals are, firstly to make an overview of existing works that analyses the various ways to associate these two kinds of aiding tools essentially in a sequential way. Secondly, we propose an approach that allows us to use them simultaneously in order to assist design decisions with these two kinds of knowledge. The paper is organized as follows. In the first section, we define the goal of the paper and recall the background of case-based reasoning and constraint filtering. In the second section, the industrial problem which led us to consider these two kinds of knowledge is presented. In the third section, an overview of the various possibilities of using these two aiding decision tools in a sequential way is drawn up. In the fourth section, we propose an approach that allows us to use both aiding decision tools in a simultaneous and iterative way according to the availability of knowledge. An example dealing with helicopter maintenance illustrates our proposals.     

Overall performance measurement in a supply chain: towards a supplier-prime manufacturer based model

This study deals with the supply chain (SC) overall performance expression. The developed idea concerns more particularly the performance of the manufactured products. Indeed, two companies or more contribute to the manufacturing of products that are generally assembled by the prime manufacturer company. Moreover, in the industrial practice, performance scorecards are defined with regard to each process; and the overall performance is neither expressed for each company, nor for the whole SC. We propose here to identify the SC overall performance to the combination of the performances of the different involved companies in the SC. Thus, in order to obtain a definition of such performance, we choose to focus first on the performance of the prime manufacturer. In this sense, the approach is based on the SCOR model for the handling of the main processes around the considered product manufacturing. The prime manufacturer performance is then defined as the aggregation of its involved processes?? performances. While the prime manufacturer performance is strongly dependent on the suppliers?? performance, we suggest the integration of the impacting supplier performance into the prime manufacturer scorecards. From an operational point of view, the MACBETH methodology is used to coherently express both processes and overall performances. More precisely, the Choquet aggregation integral operator is applied in order to model mutual interactions between processes. Finally, the expression of a bearing??s manufacturer performance illustrates the proposition.     

A modular Petri net to modeling and scenario analysis of a network of road traffic signals

The dynamic behavior of a group of traffic signals controlling a network of intersections is a complex discrete event system that can be modeled by Petri nets. The approach used in this paper proposes a components-based design, which increases modularity, reduces complexity and is a good practice according to modern Systems Engineering. The main system elements are specified based on the proposed Petri net component with time intervals associated to places. The specified models are simulated through the common token player algorithm, and formal analysis using invariants and theorem proving are applied to verify models' soundness and to reason on specific scenarios.     

Application de l'analyse spectrale autoregressive AU traitement de mesures de turbulence

The Autoregressive (AR) Spectral analysis (also called Maximum Entropy Method) is applied here to velocity turbulence measurements. The validity of such a spectral analysis is tested for classical turbulence data collected in a wind tunnel. The AR estimates are compared with classical Fourier estimates (average of short modified periodograms). Both Levinson's and Burg's algorithms are used for calculating the AR coefficient estimates, and Akaike's “FPE” criterion for choosing the length of the AR filter.Such a method shows much interest in processing some geophysical fluid dynamics phenomena which often are intermittent on a physical point of view. Power spectrum time evolution of some very short length (1 min.) data of oceanic turbulence — they cannot be analysed by Fourier techniques — is a fine example.

Abstract

L'Analyse Spectrale Autorégressive (AR) (dite aussi Méthode de l'Entropie Maximale) est appliquée ici à des mesures de turbulence de vitesse. La validité d'une telle analyse a été testée sur des données classiques de turbulence recueillies en soufflerie. On a comparé les estimations AR avec les estimations classiques (moyenne de courts périodogrammes modifiés). On a utilisé pour l'estimation des coefficients AR les algorithmes de Levinson et de Burg, et pour le choix de l'ordre du filtre AR le critère “FPE” d'Akaike.Ce genre de méthode présente un grand intérêt dans le cas du traitement de certains phénomènes de mécanique des fluides géophysiques qui sont souvent intermittents du point de vue physique. Le calcul de l'évolution spectrale de très courtes (1 mn) données de turbulence océanique en est un bon exemple (ces données ne peuvent être analysées par les techniques de Fourier).     

Onde quasi-TEM des guides cylindriques blindés

tem approximation technique is widely used in the study of waveguides characterized by the fundamental mode without cutoff frequency. It seems that exact justification of this approximation has never been delt with before to his knowledge. Here the author is trying to show the justification for a closed waveguide noting the difference between a quasi-TEM wave and an ordinary tem wave.     

A new sarpedobilin-containing butterflyPapilio graphium stresemani stresemani and its bioecological situation within the species

The doubly cyclized bile pigment sarpedobilin (3) represents a unique case in nature. In spite of being present in trace amounts in many butterfly and moth species containing pterobilin (1) or phorcabilin (2) as the main bilin, this substance occurs as the main pigment in a restricted number of species geographically limited to Southeast Asia. We have isolated and identified sarpedobilin3 (as the dimethyl ester) as the main bile pigment fromPapilio graphium stresemani stresemani (from Ceram island, Indonesia) in the amount of ca. 0.1 mg per individual, double that found inPapilio sar-pedon orP. weiskei. We conclude thatP. sarpedon (and subspecies)P. weis-kei, andP. stresemani represent, in terms of evolution (see article), a group of closely related species. By comparison of colored wing patterns and resistance of the chromoproteins to hydrolysis by MeOH-H₂SO₄,P. stresemani is nearP. weiskei. The bioecological relationships of the three sarpedobilin-containing species is discussed.     

Optical field concentration in low-index waveguides

We present a highly efficient optical field concentrator that is capable of confining optical field in nanometer-thin low-index media with very high optical confinement factor. The structure is made of multiple-layered low-index nanolayers embedded in high-index silicon waveguides. By creating multiple high-index-contrast interfaces, the normal field in the low-index nanolayer regions is significantly enhanced. It subsequently results in a very high optical confinement and power density in these regions. With the help of numerical simulation tools, the guiding and propagating characteristics of the new structure are studied and presented. The optimal structures have demonstrated confinement factors and normalized power densities in the range of 30%-60% and 20-160 /spl mu/m/sup -2/ for the 5-20-nm thin low-index multiple nanolayers.