METFACTOOL

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Tool overview

METFAC is a software tool for the analysis of performance, dependability and performability of systems modeled using rewarded continuous-time Markov chains. The current release of the tool is METFAC-2.1. The tool allows the specification of arbitrary finite continuous-time Markov chain models with reward rates associated with states and offers many numerical methods for the computation of seven reward measures and robust simulation methods based on estimators with reduced variance with respect to those of naive simulation, which is finite, for the estimation of the same reward measures. Computation or simulation of those reward measures is supported in almost their full generality.

The tool also includes numerical methods targeted at the computation of some reward measures or bounds for them for classes of finite continuous-time Markov chain models including both exact and bounding failure/repair models of fault-tolerant systems with exponential failure and repair time distributions and repair in every state with failed components and, perhaps, that the structure function of the modeled system be increasing, with component failure rates much smaller than component repair rates. When used in a supported environment, those numerical methods will have good numerical stability and, in many cases, will allow the analysis of very complex fault-tolerant systems.

You can contact us by email at victor.sunye AT upc.edu.

Tool features

Flexible and easy-to-use parametric model specification through a production rules based language allowing the use of quite arbitrary C-like expressions with syntax and typing complying with the C99 standard and allowing the use of external C functions

Fast generation of very large rewarded continuous-time Markov models

Very well tested (almost 100 % coverage of code)

CPU time limitations controled by operating system signals to avoid the tool to hung up

Environment requirements

Most combinations of hardware platforms, Unix-like operating systems, and C compilers compliant with the C99 standard. See User's Guide for details.

Documentation

User's Guide