On the Pitfalls of Resource Augmentation Factors and Utilization Bounds in Real-Time Scheduling

TY - GEN

T1 - On the Pitfalls of Resource Augmentation Factors and Utilization Bounds in Real-Time Scheduling

AU - Chen, J.J.

AU - Bruggen, G. von der

AU - Huang, W-H

AU - Davis, Robert Ian

N1 - © 2017, Jian-Jia Chen, Georg von der Brüggen, Wen-Hung Huang, and Robert I. Davis.

PY - 2017/6

Y1 - 2017/6

N2 - In this paper, we take a careful look at speedup factors, utilization bounds, and capacity augmentation bounds. These three metrics have been widely adopted in real-time scheduling research as the de facto standard theoretical tools for assessing scheduling algorithms and schedulability tests. Despite that, it is not always clear how researchers and designers should interpret or use these metrics. In studying this area, we found a number of surprising results, and related to them, ways in which the metrics may be misinterpreted or misunderstood. In this paper, we provide a perspective on the use of these metrics, guiding researchers on their meaning and interpretation, and helping to avoid pitfalls in their use. Finally, we propose and demonstrate the use of parametric augmentation functions as a means of providing nuanced information that may be more relevant in practical settings.

AB - In this paper, we take a careful look at speedup factors, utilization bounds, and capacity augmentation bounds. These three metrics have been widely adopted in real-time scheduling research as the de facto standard theoretical tools for assessing scheduling algorithms and schedulability tests. Despite that, it is not always clear how researchers and designers should interpret or use these metrics. In studying this area, we found a number of surprising results, and related to them, ways in which the metrics may be misinterpreted or misunderstood. In this paper, we provide a perspective on the use of these metrics, guiding researchers on their meaning and interpretation, and helping to avoid pitfalls in their use. Finally, we propose and demonstrate the use of parametric augmentation functions as a means of providing nuanced information that may be more relevant in practical settings.

KW - Speedup factors

KW - fixed priority scheduling

KW - real time

M3 - Conference contribution

T3 - LIPIcs – Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics

SP - 9:1-9:25

BT - 29th Euromicro Conference on Real-Time Systems (ECRTS 2017)

A2 - Bertogna, Marko

PB - Schloss Dagstuhl-Leibniz-Zentrum fuer Informatik

T2 - 29th Euromicro Conference on Real-Time Systems (ECRTS 2017)

Y2 - 27 June 2017 through 30 June 2017

ER -