Measuring Computer Performance: A Practitioner's Guide

Measuring Computer Performance sets out the fundamental techniques used in analyzing and understanding the performance of computer systems. The emphasis is on practical methods of measurement, simulation, and analytical modeling. David Lilja discusses performance metrics and provides detailed coverage of the strategies used in benchmark programs. In addition to intuitive explanations of key statistical tools, he describes the general "design of experiments" technique and shows how the maximum amount of information can be obtained with minimum effort. Features include appendices listing common probability distributions and statistical tables and a glossary of important technical terms.