Slide 1: Title Slide

• Title: Distributed Systems Simulation and Modeling

• Your group members' names

• Course name & lecturer’s name

Slide 2: Introduction to Distributed Systems Simulation and Modeling

• Definition: Distributed systems simulation and modeling involve using

computational models to study, test, and analyze distributed systems before
deployment.

• Why it is Important:

o Helps predict system performance under different conditions.

o Assists in workload balancing and fault tolerance testing.

o Reduces cost and risk before deploying real-world systems.

• Key Areas Covered: Overview of the sub-topics you'll discuss.

Slide 3: Simulation Models for Distributed Systems

• Definition: A simulation model is a virtual representation of a distributed system

used for analysis.

• Types of Simulation Models:

o Discrete-Event Simulation (DES): Models system behavior over time using

events (e.g., network packet arrival, process execution).

o Continuous Simulation: Used when system states change continuously

(e.g., thermal management in data centers).

o Hybrid Models: Combines both discrete and continuous simulations.

• Example Tools: SimGrid, CloudSim.

Slide 4: Distributed System Workload Generation and Modeling

• Definition: Workload modeling involves generating synthetic data that mimics real-
world system usage.

• Why It Matters: Helps test system scalability and stress-test distributed systems.

• Types of Workload Models:

o Static Workloads: Fixed task distribution.

o Dynamic Workloads: Tasks arrive and leave unpredictably.

• Example: Workload models used in cloud platforms to optimize server resource

allocation.

• Example scenarios for workload generation in distributed systems:

o Web application testing:

Simulating large numbers of concurrent user requests to evaluate website

performance under high traffic conditions.

o Database workload analysis:

Generating read/write operations on a distributed database to assess query

performance and data consistency.

o Cloud computing stress testing:

Simulating burst workloads to evaluate the scalability and elasticity of cloud

infrastructure.

Slide 5: Performance Metrics and Evaluation Techniques

• Key Metrics to Evaluate Performance:

o Throughput: Number of tasks completed per unit time.

o Latency: Time taken to complete a request.

o Scalability: Ability to handle increasing workloads.

 o Reliability: How often the system remains operational.

o Energy Efficiency: Power consumption vs. performance.

• Evaluation Techniques:

o Analytical models

o Experimental testing

o Simulation-based performance evaluation

Slide 6: Monte Carlo Simulation for Distributed Systems

• Definition: A statistical method that uses random sampling to estimate system

behavior.

• Why Use Monte Carlo Simulation?

o Helps model uncertainty in distributed systems.

o Useful for predicting system failures and optimizing performance.

• Example Applications:

o Predicting network congestion.

o Estimating fault-tolerance efficiency in cloud computing.

Slide 7: Distributed System Profiling and Tracing

• Definition: Profiling is monitoring system performance, while tracing records events

as they occur.

• Why It’s Important:

o Helps in debugging performance bottlenecks.

o Optimizes resource allocation and load balancing.

• Tools Used:

o Perf, eBPF (for Linux systems).

o Google’s Dapper (used for tracing in large-scale distributed systems).

Slide 8: Trace Analysis and Visualization Tools

• Definition: After tracing system events, analysis tools convert raw logs into
insights.

• Key Features:

o Detecting system bottlenecks.

o Identifying anomalies in distributed workflows.

• Examples of Tools:

o Jaeger: Open-source tool for distributed tracing.

o Zipkin: Used by Twitter for monitoring distributed systems.

o Graphite & Prometheus: Performance visualization tools.

Slide 9: Simulators for Cloud Computing and Data Centers

• Why Use Cloud Simulators?

o Real-world cloud testing is expensive and time-consuming.

o Helps optimize resource allocation before actual deployment.

• Popular Cloud Simulators:

o CloudSim: Simulates cloud resource allocation and VM migrations.

o iCanCloud: Predicts cloud service costs for different configurations.

o GreenCloud: Focuses on energy-efficient cloud computing.

Slide 10: Simulating IoT and Edge Computing Environments

• Definition: Simulation tools help model IoT networks and edge computing
scenarios.

• Challenges in IoT Simulation:

o Large-scale device connectivity.

o Real-time data processing constraints.

• Simulation Tools for IoT & Edge Computing:

 o IoTSim: Simulates IoT applications on cloud platforms.

o EdgeCloudSim: Models edge computing architectures.

o NS3 (Network Simulator 3): Used for simulating IoT network traffic.

Slide 11: Distributed System Failure and Anomaly Simulation

• Why Simulate Failures?

o Helps design fault-tolerant distributed systems.

o Prepares the system for real-world disruptions.

• Types of Failures Simulated:

o Network partitions.

o Hardware crashes.

o Load spikes causing system overload.

• Examples of Failure Simulation Tools:

o Chaos Monkey (Netflix): Randomly shuts down services to test resilience.

o FAILURES.cloud: Simulates cloud service failures.

Slide 12: Validation and Verification of Simulation Models

• Why is Validation Important?

o Ensures simulation results match real-world behavior.

o Prevents incorrect conclusions from flawed models.

• Verification Methods:

o Compare simulation output with real system logs.

o Perform statistical accuracy testing.

o Use benchmarks from existing distributed systems.

• Tools Used:

o Model checkers (e.g., UPPAAL, SPIN).

 o Empirical comparison with real-world data.

Slide 13: Conclusion & Future Trends in Simulation

• Summary of Key Takeaways

o Simulation helps optimize, test, and analyze distributed systems before

deployment.

o Various models and tools exist for cloud computing, IoT, failure handling,
and performance optimization.

• Future Trends:

o AI-driven simulations for predictive analytics.

o Improved real-time monitoring and visualization tools.

o Integration of digital twins for real-world system testing.

Slide 14: References and Q&A

• Provide a list of research papers, books, or websites you used.

• Invite the audience to ask questions.

Additional Tips for Your Presentation

Use Diagrams & Flowcharts – Visuals help explain concepts like Monte Carlo
simulations or workload models.
Include Real-World Examples – Discuss companies (Netflix, Google, Amazon) using
these techniques.
Keep Text Minimal – Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs.
Demonstrate Tools (If Possible) – A quick screenshot of CloudSim, Zipkin, or Chaos
Monkey can make your slides more engaging.