Masaharu Akatsu

Identifying the Value for Service Management

To identify the value of service, a value transmission model is proposed. The model distinguishes output and outcome. They are evaluated by KPI, Key Performance Indicator, and KGI, Key Goal Indicator, respectively. SLA, Service Level Agreement, is introduced to make common understandings about these indicators between service providers and users. Service parameters of SLA should be a mixture of KPI and KGI and they should have a close relation with each other. Tip to select appropriate KPI is discussed. A strategy map is also introduced as an effective tool for service management.

Rescheduling method based on distributed cooperative problem solving model

This paper proposes a rescheduling method based on a distributed cooperative problem solving model to cope with contingencies. Using several planners with different search strategies, the rescheduling system tries to obtain a solution. In case the solution which satisfies all the constraints cannot be found,the proposed system detects some of the most promising positions where it is effective to apply relaxation of constraints, and displays candidate conditions to be relaxed to the human operator for the purpose of supporting his/her decision. This idea is applied to a train rescheduling problem, and the result of the experiment is shown.

Verification of error recovery specification for distributed data by using colored Petri net

In systems where the same data are distributed in plural memories, it is important for designers to verify that error recovery procedures maintain data consistency after a failure. A modeling and validation method of error recovery specifications by using colored Petri nets is proposed. The analysis of reachable states is useful to consistency. The introduction of the equivalence relation into reachable states reduces the number of the states to be verified. The proposed approach was applied to read/write control of a disk controller with a built-in cache memory.<<ETX>>

Analysis of the Relation between Service Parameters for Service Level Management and System Utilization

System utilization was investigated with the aim of selecting appropriate service parameters for defining the quality of information systems such as SLA (service level agreement). This investigation is based on the hypothesis that parameters having a strong influence on user satisfaction depend on how the system is used. Accordingly, the parameters for availability and responsiveness, which are known as the two major factors in SLA, were investigated. First, it is explained that parameters having a strong impact on user satisfaction are not common among information systems. Next, three parameters for availability (mean time between halt, mean time to restore, and both of them) and ones for responsiveness (mean time, maximum time, and variance) were introduced. To analyze the relation between these service parameters and system utilization, a questionnaire about system utilization was designed and administered to several experienced system engineers. Quantification theory type II was applied to the results of this questionnaire, and the validity of the hypothesis was demonstrated. The results also classified information systems into six groups in terms of availability and responsiveness. The characteristics of each system group were also clarified.

Electric power service selection considered flexibility of contract

In Japan, the electric power liberalization will expand. Customers request methods of judging the services. The method of comparing each energy unit price based on the average demanded is general. However, there are risks in customers energy demand in the future. In the supply contract, there is freedom of contract changes according to demand changes. By this contract changes customers can avoid the risks. In this paper, we think that there was value in contract changes and we proposed the new method for analyzing the economy of this value.