Equilibrium-independent passivity: A new definition and numerical certification

We extend the traditional notion of passivity to a forced system whose equilibrium is dependent on the control input by defining equilibrium-independent passivity, a system property characterized by a dissipation inequality centered at an arbitrary equilibrium point. We provide a necessary input/output condition which can be tested for systems of arbitrary dimension and sufficient conditions to certify this property for scalar systems. An example from network stability analysis is presented which demonstrates the utility of this new definition. We then proceed to numerical certification of equilibrium-independent passivity using sum-of-squares programming. Finally, through numerical examples we show that equilibrium-independent passivity is less restrictive than incremental passivity.     

A unifying criterion for unsupervised clustering and feature selection

Exploratory data analysis methods are essential for getting insight into data. Identifying the most important variables and detecting quasi-homogenous groups of data are problems of interest in this context. Solving such problems is a difficult task, mainly due to the unsupervised nature of the underlying learning process. Unsupervised feature selection and unsupervised clustering can be successfully approached as optimization problems by means of global optimization heuristics if an appropriate objective function is considered. This paper introduces an objective function capable of efficiently guiding the search for significant features and simultaneously for the respective optimal partitions. Experiments conducted on complex synthetic data suggest that the function we propose is unbiased with respect to both the number of clusters and the number of features.     

Function point measurement from Web application source code based on screen transitions and database accesses

A function point (FP) is a unit of measurement that expresses the degree of functionality that an information system provides to a user. Many software organizations use FPs to estimate the effort required for software development. However, it is essential that the definition of 1 FP be based on the software development experience of the organization. In the present study, we propose a method by which to automatically extract data and transaction functions from Web applications under several conditions using static analysis. The proposed method is based on the International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG) method and has been developed as an FP measurement tool. We applied the proposed method to several Web applications and examined the difference between FP counts obtained by the tool and those obtained by a certified FP specialist (CFPS). The results reveal that the numbers of data and transaction functions extracted by the tool is approximately the same as the numbers of data and transaction functions extracted by the specialist.     

On the estimation of adequate test set size using fault failure rates

Test set size in terms of the number of test cases is an important consideration when testing software systems. Using too few test cases might result in poor fault detection and using too many might be very expensive and suffer from redundancy. We define the failure rate of a program as the fraction of test cases in an available test pool that result in execution failure on that program. This paper investigates the relationship between failure rates and the number of test cases required to detect the faults. Our experiments based on 11 sets of C programs suggest that an accurate estimation of failure rates of potential fault(s) in a program can provide a reliable estimate of adequate test set size with respect to fault detection and should therefore be one of the factors kept in mind during test set construction. Furthermore, the model proposed herein is fairly robust to incorrect estimations in failure rates and can still provide good predictive quality. Experiments are also performed to observe the relationship between multiple faults present in the same program using the concept of a failure rate. When predicting the effectiveness against a program with multiple faults, results indicate that not knowing the number of faults in the program is not a significant concern, as the predictive quality is typically not affected adversely.     

Simulations, models, and testbeds: A mutual catalysis

Recent developments in the area of decentralized and infrastructureless systems opened avenues for novel applications. Along with these new technologies, new questions regarding their operational bounds in terms of e.g. scalability and security arose. Due to the sparse presence of real-world decentralized and infrastructureless systems, new protocols and applications have to be scrutinized by means of simulation, in (small-scale) testbeds, and by analytical models. In this paper, we discuss challenges of evaluating security mechanisms for mobile ad hoc networks and peer-to-peer systems. We focus on harmonizing predictions of analytical models and results obtained from simulation studies and testbed experiments.     

Approximate steady-state analysis of large Markov models based on the structure of their decision diagram encoding

We propose a new approximate numerical algorithm for the steady-state solution of general structured ergodic Markov models. The approximation uses a state-space encoding based on multiway decision diagrams and a transition rate encoding based on a new class of edge-valued decision diagrams. The new method retains the favorable properties of a previously proposed Kronecker-based approximation, while eliminating the need for a Kronecker-consistent model decomposition. Removing this restriction allows for a greater utilization of event locality, which facilitates the generation of both the state-space and the transition rate matrix, thus extends the applicability of this algorithm to larger and more complex models.     

Directional neighbor discovery in 60 GHz indoor wireless networks

Signal propagation in the 60 GHz band significantly differs from that in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. In particular, the signals are often reflected in indoor settings in this band. Directional antennas can help limit the impact of reflection, but make the process of neighbor discovery complex. We consider this problem in this paper. We examine two approaches (a) direct discovery where each node explicitly discovers its neighbors, and (b) gossip-based discovery where nodes exchange information about their already discovered neighbors. We analyze the two approaches and validate our models via simulations. We examine the impact of system parameters such as varying beamwidth and node density.     

Scheduling gain for frequency-selective Rayleigh-fading channels with application to self-organizing packet scheduling

This paper investigates packet scheduling in the context of Self-Optimizing Networks, and demonstrates how to improve coverage dynamically by adjusting the scheduling strategy. We focus on α-fair schedulers, and we provide methods for calculating the scheduling gain, including several closed form formulas. Scheduling gain is analyzed for different fading models, with a particular focus on the frequency-selective channel. We then propose a coverage-capacity self-optimization algorithm based on α-fair schedulers. A use case illustrates the implementation of the algorithm and simulation results show that important coverage gains are achieved at the expense of very little computing power.     

Decision support for Cybersecurity risk planning

Security countermeasures help ensure the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information systems by preventing or mitigating asset losses from Cybersecurity attacks. Due to uncertainty, the financial impact of threats attacking assets is often difficult to measure quantitatively, and thus it is difficult to prescribe which countermeasures to employ. In this research, we describe a decision support system for calculating the uncertain risk faced by an organization under cyber attack as a function of uncertain threat rates, countermeasure costs, and impacts on its assets. The system uses a genetic algorithm to search for the best combination of countermeasures, allowing the user to determine the preferred tradeoff between the cost of the portfolio and resulting risk. Data collected from manufacturing firms provide an example of results under realistic input conditions.     

Impacts of essential elements of management on IT application maturity — A perspective from firms in China

This paper explores the impacts of essential elements of management on IT application maturity (ITAM). A game theoretical model is established to show that a firm's IT application maturity should match with its essential elements of management. In order to further validate the analytical result, a data set with 137 firms was collected via a survey instrument. Using reliability and factor analysis on the dataset, a four-dimension measurement construct of IT application maturity is proposed together with a three-dimension measurement construct of essential elements of management. Empirical analysis is then conducted to address research questions on the impacts of essential elements of management on IT application maturity. It is found that while a firm's strategic cooperation capability has no significant effect on IT application maturity, its internal coordination capability positively influences all four dimensions of IT application maturity. For the firm's execution capability, although it shows no significant effect on the overall IT application maturity, it does positively affect the technology and man-machine synergy dimensions of IT application maturity. The findings of this study offer practical guidance for organizations to better align their IT application maturity with essential elements of management.