Towards Systemic Risk Aware Engineering of Large-Scale Networks: Complex Systems Perspective

Published

December 8, 2016

Author(s)

Vladimir V. Marbukh

Abstract

This paper proposes a framework for systemic risk aware engineering of large-scale networks. Economics drives two major evolutionary trends in networked system design/operation: (a) towards the boundary of the system capacity/operational region, where all system resources are fully utilized, and (b) an increase in the system interconnectivity allowing enlargement of this region due to dynamic resource sharing. However, numerous recent systemic failures in various performance oriented networked systems demonstrated systemic risks associated with these trends. Using the “Complex System” perspective, we associate the systemic risks with a possibility of system phase transition to an undesirable persistent state. Specifically, we argue that while growing interconnectivity allows a system to accommodate “small” demand/capacity imbalances, sufficiently large imbalances may result in abrupt/discontinuous instabilities, which is a form of “robust yet fragile” phenomenon. Motivated by higher performance losses and lower predictability of abrupt/discontinuous vs. gradual/continuous systemic overload, the proposed “systemic risk aware performance engineering,” intends to enlarge the system capacity/operational region subject to ensuring gradual/continuous system performance deterioration once the boundary of the system operational region is breached.

Proceedings Title

IEEE MASCOTS 2016 (Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation On Computer and Telecommunication Systems)

Conference Dates

September 19-21, 2016

Conference Location

London

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1109/MASCOTS.2016.20

Local Download

Keywords

dynamic resource sharing, performance engineering, systemic risk, complex system

Citation

Marbukh, V. (2016), Towards Systemic Risk Aware Engineering of Large-Scale Networks: Complex Systems Perspective, IEEE MASCOTS 2016 (Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation On Computer and Telecommunication Systems), London, -1, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/MASCOTS.2016.20 (Accessed May 3, 2024)