All issues

A new grid and cloud services simulation for NICA accelerator complex data storage and processing system are described. This system is focused on improving the efficiency of the grid-cloud systems development by using work quality indicators of some real system to design and predict its evolution. For these purpose the simulation program are combined with real monitoring system of the grid-cloud service through a special database. An example of the program usage to simulate a sufficiently general cloud structure, which can be used for more common purposes, is given.

Scheduling computational workflows represented by directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) is crucial in many areas of computer science, such as cloud/edge tasks with distributed workloads and data mining. The complexity of online DAG scheduling is compounded by the large number of computational nodes, data transfer delays, heterogeneity (by type and processing power) of executors, precedence constraints imposed by DAG, and the nonuniform arrival of tasks. This paper introduces the Multi-Agent Local Voting Protocol (MLVP), a novel approach focused on dynamic load balancing for DAG scheduling in heterogeneous computing environments, where executors are represented as agents. The MLVP employs a local voting protocol to achieve effective load distribution by formulating the problem as a differentiated consensus achievement. The algorithm calculates an aggregated DAG metric for each executor-node pair based on node dependencies, node availability, and executor performance. The balance of these metrics as a weighted sum is optimized using a genetic algorithm to assign tasks probabilistically, achieving efficient workload distribution via information sharing and reaching consensus among the executors across the system and thus improving makespan. The effectiveness of the MLVP is demonstrated through comparisons with the state-of-the-art DAG scheduling algorithm and popular heuristics such as DONF, FIFO, Min- Min, and Max-Min. Numerical simulations show that MLVP achieves makepsan improvements of up to 70% on specific graph topologies and an average makespan reduction of 23.99% over DONF (state-of-the-art DAG scheduling heuristic) across randomly generated diverse set of DAGs. Notably, the algorithm’s scalability is evidenced by enhanced performance with increasing numbers of executors and graph nodes.

The report presents a number of news and updates of the ALICE computing for RUN2 and RUN3.

This includes:

– implementation in production of a new system EOS;

– migration to the file system CVMFS to be used for storage of the software;

– the plan for solving the problem of “Long-Term Data Preservation”;

– overview of the concept of “O square”, combining offline and online data processing;

– overview of the existing models to use the virtual clouds for ALICE data processing. Innovations are shown on the example of the Russian sites.

The accurate characterization of particle size and morphology is crucial across numerous scientific and industrial fields. While microscopy is a powerful tool for visualizing particle geometry, traditional image analysis often relies on basic parameters like area and equivalent circular diameter, which are insufficient for describing non-spherical or complex particles. This paper presents a novel methodology for the analysis of particles from micrographs, combining deep learningbased segmentation with parametric polygon approximation. Optical microscopy images were obtained for model systems of increasing complexity: monodisperse polystyrene spheres, SAPO-34 cubes, ZSM-5 hexagonal prisms, and a multi-component mixture of all three. Neural network segmentation was performed using the DLgram01 cloud service, trained on manually annotated images. A custom Python program was developed to process the resulting segmentation polygons. The core of the method involves fitting a parameterized polygon to each segmented particle’s contour. The optimal value of geometric parameters for each particle is determined by minimizing a “dissimilarity” function that measures the discrepancy between the segmentation and the parametric shape. This approach was validated on the simple spherical system, yielding a size distribution consistent with conventional projected diameter methods. For more complex cubic SAPO-34 particles, the rectangle fit revealed deviations from the ideal shape, providing a more complete morphological description than using a single size parameter. In the mixture of particles, the method successfully classified and extracted distinct parameter distributions for each particle type. The results for each class in the mixture were statistically consistent with those obtained from the single-component systems, demonstrating the method’s robustness and accuracy. The proposed methodology provides a powerful and universal tool for automated, high-throughput particle analysis, enabling the extraction of detailed shape parameters and the construction of comprehensive size and morphology distributions for complex particulate systems.

In this article the model of strong replicas agreement was analyzed. The process of preparing and conducting the nature experiment in the cloud in order to proof the model adequacy was described. Specifications of the program for implementation of database access to the NoSQL system and the program for handling journals were presented. One part of obtained experiments results was used for model adaptation, another part — for adequacy evaluating. The adequacy analysis is presented.

The article deals with the problem of a distributed system operation reliability. The system core is an open integration platform that provides interaction of varied software for modeling gas transportation. Some of them provide an access through thin clients on the cloud technology “software as a service”. Mathematical models of operation, transmission and computing are to ensure the operation of an automated dispatching system for oil and gas transportation. The paper presents a system solution based on the theory of Markov random processes and considers the stable operation stage. The stationary operation mode of the Markov chain with continuous time and discrete states is described by a system of Chapman–Kolmogorov equations with respect to the average numbers (mathematical expectations) of the objects in certain states. The objects of research are both system elements that are present in a large number – thin clients and computing modules, and individual ones – a server, a network manager (message broker). Together, they are interacting Markov random processes. The interaction is determined by the fact that the transition probabilities in one group of elements depend on the average numbers of other elements groups.

The authors propose a multi-criteria dispersion model of risk assessment for such systems (both in the broad and narrow sense, in accordance with the IEC standard). The risk is the standard deviation of estimated object parameter from its average value. The dispersion risk model makes possible to define optimality criteria and whole system functioning risks. In particular, for a thin client, the following is calculated: the loss profit risk, the total risk of losses due to non-productive element states, and the total risk of all system states losses.

Finally the paper proposes compromise schemes for solving the multi-criteria problem of choosing the optimal operation strategy based on the selected set of compromise criteria.

As the population of cities grows, the need to plan for the development of transport infrastructure becomes more acute. For this purpose, transport modeling packages are created. These packages usually contain a set of convex optimization problems, the iterative solution of which leads to the desired equilibrium distribution of flows along the paths. One of the directions for the development of transport modeling is the construction of more accurate generalized models that take into account different types of passengers, their travel purposes, as well as the specifics of personal and public modes of transport that agents can use. Another important direction of transport models development is to improve the efficiency of the calculations performed. Since, due to the large dimension of modern transport networks, the search for a numerical solution to the problem of equilibrium distribution of flows along the paths is quite expensive. The iterative nature of the entire solution process only makes this worse. One of the approaches leading to a reduction in the number of calculations performed is the construction of consistent models that allow to combine the blocks of a 4-stage model into a single optimization problem. This makes it possible to eliminate the iterative running of blocks, moving from solving a separate optimization problem at each stage to some general problem. Early work has proven that such approaches provide equivalent solutions. However, it is worth considering the validity and interpretability of these methods. The purpose of this article is to substantiate a single problem, that combines both the calculation of the trip matrix and the modal choice, for the generalized case when there are different layers of demand, types of agents and classes of vehicles in the transport network. The article provides possible interpretations for the gauge parameters used in the problem, as well as for the dual factors associated with the balance constraints. The authors of the article also show the possibility of combining the considered problem with a block for determining network load into a single optimization problem.

Now days the main research activity in the field of nanotechnology is aimed at the creation, study and application of new materials and new structures. Recently, much attention has been attracted by the possibility of controlling magnetic properties using a superconducting current, as well as the influence of magnetic dynamics on the current–voltage characteristics of hybrid superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) nanostructures. In particular, such structures include the S/F/S Josephson junction or molecular nanomagnets coupled to the Josephson junctions. Theoretical studies of the dynamics of such structures need processes of a large number of coupled nonlinear equations. Numerical modeling of hybrid superconductor/magnet nanostructures implies the calculation of both magnetic dynamics and the dynamics of the superconducting phase, which strongly increases their complexity and scale, so it is advisable to use heterogeneous computing systems.

In the course of studying the physical properties of these objects, it becomes necessary to numerically solve complex systems of nonlinear differential equations, which requires significant time and computational resources.

The currently existing micromagnetic algorithms and frameworks are based on the finite difference or finite element method and are extremely useful for modeling the dynamics of magnetization on a wide time scale. However, the functionality of existing packages does not allow to fully implement the desired computation scheme.

The aim of the research is to develop a unified environment for modeling hybrid superconductor/magnet nanostructures, providing access to solvers and developed algorithms, and based on a heterogeneous computing paradigm that allows research of superconducting elements in nanoscale structures with magnets and hybrid quantum materials. In this paper, we investigate resonant phenomena in the nanomagnet system associated with the Josephson junction. Such a system has rich resonant physics. To study the possibility of magnetic reversal depending on the model parameters, it is necessary to solve numerically the Cauchy problem for a system of nonlinear equations. For numerical simulation of hybrid superconductor/magnet nanostructures, a computing environment based on the heterogeneous HybriLIT computing platform is implemented. During the calculations, all the calculation times obtained were averaged over three launches. The results obtained here are of great practical importance and provide the necessary information for evaluating the physical parameters in superconductor/magnet hybrid nanostructures.

Storage is the essential and expensive part of cloud computation both from the point of view of network requirements and data access organization. So the choice of storage architecture can be crucial for any application. In this article we can look at the types of cloud architectures for data processing and data storage based on the proven technology of enterprise storage. The advantage of cloud computing is the ability to virtualize and share resources among different applications for better server utilization. We are discussing and evaluating distributed data processing, database architectures for cloud computing and database query in the local network and for real time conditions.

Although each task of recreating artifacts is truly unique, the modeling process for façades, foundations and building elements can be parametrized. This paper is focused on a complex of the existing programming libraries and solutions that need to be united into a single computer system to solve such a task. An algorithm of generating 3D filling of objects under reconstruction is presented. The solution architecture necessary for the system's adaptation for a cloud environment is studied.