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Uncertain systems are those wherein some variability is observed, meaning that different observations of the system will produce different measurements. Studying such systems demands the use of statistical methods over multiple measurements, which allows overcoming the uncertainty, based on the premise that a single measurement is not representative of the system’s behavior. In such cases, the current multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) method cannot offer confident conclusions. This work presents multi-signal MFDFA (MS-MFDFA), a novel methodology for accurately characterizing uncertain systems using the MFDFA algorithm, which enables overcoming the uncertainty of the system by simultaneously considering a large set of signals. As a case study, we consider the problem of characterizing software (Sw) consumption. The difficulty of the problem mainly comes from the complexity of the interactions between Sw and hardware (Hw), as well as from the high uncertainty level of the consumption measurements, which are affected by concurrent Sw services, the Hw, and external factors such as ambient temperature. We apply MS-MFDFA to generate a signature of the Sw consumption profile, regardless of the execution time, the consumption levels, and uncertainty. Multiple consumption signals (or time series) are built from different Sw runs, obtaining a high frequency sampling of the instant input current for each of them while running the Sw. A benchmark of eight Sw programs for analysis is also proposed. Moreover, a fully functional application to automatically perform MS-MFDFA analysis has been made freely available. The results showed that the proposed methodology is a suitable approximation for the multifractal analysis of a large number of time series obtained from uncertain systems. Moreover, analysis of the multifractal properties showed that this approach was able to differentiate between the eight Sw programs studied, showing differences in the temporal scaling range where multifractal behavior is found.

This article presents the application of Virtual Savant to solve resource allocation problems, a widely-studied area with several real-world applications. Virtual Savant is a novel soft computing method that uses machine learning techniques to compute solutions to a given optimization problem. Virtual Savant aims at learning how to solve a given problem from the solutions computed by a reference algorithm, and its design allows taking advantage of modern parallel computing infrastructures. The proposed approach is evaluated to solve the Knapsack Problem, which models different variant of resource allocation problems, considering a set of instances with varying size and difficulty. The experimental analysis is performed on an Intel Xeon Phi many-core server. Results indicate that Virtual Savant is able to compute accurate solutions while showing good scalability properties when increasing the number of computing resources used.

This article presents the application of soft computing methods for solving the problem of designing and optimizing cloud-based Content Distribution Networks (CDN). A multi-objective approach is applied to solve the resource provisioning problem for building the infrastructure for the network, considering the objectives of minimizing the cost of the virtual machines, network, and storage, and the maximization of the quality-of-service provided to end-users. A specific brokering model is proposed to allow a single cloud-based CDN to be able to host multiple content providers applying a resource sharing strategy. Following the proposed brokering model, three multiobjective evolutionary approaches are studied for the offline optimization of resource provisioning and a greedy heuristic method is proposed for addressing the online routing of contents. The experimental evaluation of the proposed approach is performed over a set of realistic problem instances. The obtained experimental results indicate that the proposed approach is effective for designing and optimizing cloud-based Content Distribution Networks: total costs are reduced by up to 10.34% while maintaining high quality-of-service values.

It is important to know the properties of an optimization problem and the difficulty an algorithm faces to solve it. Population evolvability obtains information related to both elements by analysing the probability of an algorithm to improve current solutions and the degree of those improvements. DPEM_HH is a dynamic multi-objective hyper-heuristic that uses low-level heuristic (LLH) selection methods that apply population evolvability. DPEM_HH uses dynamic multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (DMOEAs) as LLHs to solve dynamic multi-objective optimization problems (DMOPs). Population evolvability is incorporated in DPEM_HH by calculating it on each candidate DMOEA for a set of sampled generations after a change is detected, using those values to select which LLH will be applied. DPEM_HH is tested on multiple DMOPs with dynamic properties that provide several challenges. Experimental results show that DPEM_HH with a greedy LLH selection method that uses average population evolvability values can produce solutions closer to the Pareto optimal front with equal to or better diversity than previously proposed heuristics. This shows the effectiveness and feasibility of the application of population evolvability on hyperheuristics to solve dynamic optimization problems.

Presently, we are living in a hyper-connected world where millions of heterogeneous devices are continuously sharing information in different application contexts for wellness, improving communications, digital businesses, etc. However, the bigger the number of devices and connections are, the higher the risk of security threats in this scenario. To counteract against malicious behaviours and preserve essential security services, Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDSs) are the most widely used defence line in communications networks. Nevertheless, there is no standard methodology to evaluate and fairly compare NIDSs. Most of the proposals elude mentioning crucial steps regarding NIDSs validation that make their comparison hard or even impossible. This work firstly includes a comprehensive study of recent NIDSs based on machine learning approaches, concluding that almost all of them do not accomplish with what authors of this paper consider mandatory steps for a reliable comparison and evaluation of NIDSs. Secondly, a structured methodology is proposed and assessed on the UGR’16 dataset to test its suitability for addressing network attack detection problems. The guideline and steps recommended will definitively help the research community to fairly assess NIDSs, although the definitive framework is not a trivial task and, therefore, some extra effort should still be made to improve its understandability and usability further.

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a technological revolution, very powerful and with large applicability to problem solving. It is essential in many different disciplines ranging from architecture to education, medicine, physics, or gaming. In this work, we propose a novel CAD tool, called CADDi, to assist in the design of electric diagrams in the educational context. We are applying the theory of formal languages to create WDLang, an easy-to-use, highly expressive, unequivocal, and correct programming language for designing electric circuits. This programming language is the cornerstone of CADDi, which automatically generates the equivalent ladder diagram (explains the circuit operation) to the programmed circuit, offering additional features that allow analysis of its functionality in an interactive way. It also offers a graphical interface to directly design ladder diagrams, or to modify the automatically generated ones. The existing electrical CAD tools are either very simple, e.g., for creating good-looking diagrams with no functionality, or too complex, for professional systems design. CADDi is extremely useful for learning purposes. It assists users on how to generate ladder diagrams, and on understanding the behavior of electrical circuits. Additionally, it serves as an assessment tool for self-evaluation in the translation from wiring diagrams to ladder ones. In order to make CADDi highly accessible, it was implemented as a web page.