Call for Papers

• Abstract submission by 12 March 2012 27 February, 2012
• Paper and tool submission by 12 March 2012 5 March, 2012 (23:59 AOE or 11:59pm AOE)
• Author notification by 6 May, 2012

Selected papers will appear in a special issue of Elsevier Performance Evaluation journal.

QEST is the leading forum on evaluation and verification of computer systems and networks, through stochastic models and measurements. QEST has a broad range of interest - the common thread is that the evaluation be quantitative. The range of performance metrics of interest spans classical measures involving performance and reliability, as well as quantification of properties that are classically qualitative, such as safety, correctness, and security. QEST welcomes measurement-based studies as well as analytic studies. QEST welcomes diversity in the model formalisms and methodologies employed, as well as development of new formalisms and methodologies. QEST is keenly interested in case studies highlighting the role of quantitative evaluation in the design of systems, where the notion of system is broad. Systems of interest include computer hardware and software architectures, communication systems, embedded systems and biological systems. Moreover, tools for supporting the practical application of research results in all of the above areas are of special interest, and therefore tool papers are sought. In short, QEST aims to create a sound methodological basis for assessing and designing systems using quantitative means.

All submitted papers will be thoroughly judged by at least three reviewers on the basis of their originality, technical quality, scientific or practical contribution to the state of the art, methodology, clarity, and adequacy of references. QEST considers five types of papers with additional reviewing criteria (in no particular order):

• Theoretical: advance our understanding, apply to non-trivial problems and be mathematically rigorous.
• Methodological and technical: describe situations that require the development and proposal of new analysis processes and techniques. Process structure and the individual steps should be clearly described. If the methodology has already been evaluated with applications, a brief description of the lessons learned would be very helpful.
• Application: describes a novel application, and compares with previous results (if any).
• Tools: should motivate the development of the new tools and the formalisms they support. Tool papers need neither discuss their theoretical underpinnings nor their algorithms. Instead, they should focus on the software architecture and discuss its practical capabilities with particular reference to the size and type of model it can handle within reasonable time and space limits.
• Tool demonstration: describe a relevant tool, as well as its features, evaluation, or any other information that may demonstrate the merits of the tool.

We invite submissions of original papers related to the aforementioned topics. Submissions must be in English, IEEE double-column format, and must indicate the above paper type. Submission instructions can be found at www.qest.org. Submitted papers should not exceed 10 pages (2 pages for tool demonstrations). Additional material for the aid of the reviewers (e.g., proofs) can be sent in a clearly marked appendix. Papers must be unpublished and not be submitted for publication elsewhere. PC members, except program co-chairs, may submit papers.

All accepted papers (including tool demonstrations) must be presented at the conference by one of the authors. A best-paper award will be presented at the conference.

There will be one day of tutorials at the start of the conference. Tutorial proposals (up to 4 pages IEEE double-column format) should be sent to the Tutorial Chair (Gábor Horváth, e-mail: ghorvath@hit.bme.hu) by the same deadline of papers and tools.

Tool presentation sessions will be arranged to present and demonstrate tools relevant to conference topics. Accepted tool descriptions will appear in the conference proceedings.