Agent-based Modeling of Web Systems in Critical Information Infrastructures

Many critical information infrastructures use Web-based systems for deploying core services (e.g., an information service to the citizens of a large city in case of a natural disaster) because of the pervasiveness of Web technologies. Web systems have been mainly modeled up to now from a performance analysis point of view through queuing networks and discrete-time simulation approaches. However, since Web systems are a building and enabling technology of critical information infrastructures, it is also opportune to investigate how to include in the model the interactions and interdependencies with human entities and other critical infrastructures. In this paper, we analyze how the agent-based modeling approach can be applied to a Web system that provides a critical infrastructure application and to its environment.