Performance evaluation of UML software architectures with multiclass Queueing Network models

Software performance based on performance models can be applied at early phases of the software development cycle to characterize the quantitative behavior of software systems. We propose an approach based on queueing networks models for performance prediction of software systems at the software architecture level, specified by UML. Starting from annotated UML Use Case, Activity and Deployment diagrams we derive a performance models based on multichain and multiclass Queueing Networks (QN). The UML model is annotated according to the UML Profile for Schedulability, Performance and Time Specification. The proposed algorithm translates the annotated UML specification into QN performance models, which can then be analyzed using standard solution techniques. Performance results are reported back at the software architecture level in the UML diagrams. As our approach can be fully automated and uses standard UML annotations, it can be integrated with other performance modeling approaches. Specifically, we discuss how this QN-based approach can be integrated with an existing simulation-based performance modeling tool.