Methods and systems that can launch applications into existing isolation environments do so by executing a run module on a computing machine to intercept requests to execute an application. A client communicating with the computing machine generates requests to execute an application on the computing machine. A run module identifies a profile associated with the requested application and queries an application delivery service to identify at least one isolation environment that corresponds to the profile. The run module receives from the application delivery service a response that identifies a first isolation environment associated with the application, and issues a command to a launch module to launch the application into the first isolation environment.

Methods and systems for launching applications into existing isolation environments

The evolution toward grid and cloud computing as observed for over a decennium illustrates the crucial role played by (optical) networks in supporting today's applications. In this paper, we start from an overview of the challenging applications in both academic (further referred to as scientific), enterprise (business) and nonprofessional user (consumer) domains. They pose novel challenges, calling for efficient interworking of IT resources, for both processing and storage, as well as the network that interconnects them and provides access to their users. We outline those novel applications' requirements, including sheer performance attributes (which will determine the quality as perceived by end users of the cloud applications), as well as the ability to adapt to changing demands (usually referred to as elasticity) and possible failures (i.e., resilience). In outlining the foundational concepts that provide the building blocks for grid/cloud solutions that meet the stringent application requirements we highlight, a prominent role is played by optical networking. The pieces of the solution studied in this respect span the optical transport layer as well as mechanisms located in higher layers (e.g., anycast routing, virtualization) and their interworking (e.g., through appropriate control plane extensions and middleware). Based on this study, we conclude by identifying challenges and research opportunities that can enable future-proof optical cloud systems (e.g., pushing the virtualization paradigms to optical networks).

Optical Networks for Grid and Cloud Computing Applications

Cloud gaming, i.e., real-time game playing via thin clients, relieves users from being forced to upgrade their computers and resolve the incompatibility issues between games and computers. As a result, cloud gaming is generating a great deal of interests among entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, general publics, and researchers. However, given the large design space, it is not yet known which cloud gaming system delivers the best user-perceived Quality of Service (QoS) and what design elements constitute a good cloud gaming system. This study is motivated by the question: How good is the QoS of current cloud gaming systems? Answering the question is challenging because most cloud gaming systems are proprietary and closed, and thus their internal mechanisms are not accessible for the research community. In this paper, we propose a suite of measurement techniques to evaluate the QoS of cloud gaming systems and prove the effectiveness of our schemes using a case study comprising two well-known cloud gaming systems: OnLive and StreamMyGame. Our results show that OnLive performs better, because it provides adaptable frame rates, better graphic quality, and shorter server processing delays, while consuming less network bandwidth. Our measurement techniques are general and can be applied to any cloud gaming systems, so that researchers, users, and service providers may systematically quantify the QoS of these systems. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed suite of measurement techniques have never been presented in the literature.

On the Quality of Service of Cloud Gaming Systems

Postgraduate Students: Vladimír Arnot, Daniel Čapek, Rudolf Čejka, Dao Minh, Tomá Dulík, Martin Hrubý, Radek Kočí, Petr Kotásek, Marek Křejpský, Bohuslav Křena, Vladislav Kubíček, Vladimír Marek, Petr Matouek, Ale Mičín, Jiří Očenáek, Tomá Ondráček, Petr Peňás, Jaroslav Ráb, Richard Růička, Luká Sekanina, Ivan Schwarz, Azedien Sllame, Petr Smolík, Jiří Staroba, Josef Strnadel, Luká Szemla, Pavel Tinovský, Michal Tomů, Milan Urbáek, Michal Vojkůvka, Petr Vurm, Frantiek Zbořil

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Gaming in the clouds: QoE and the users’ perspective

In coming years we will see low cost networked consumer electronics (CE) devices dominating the living room. Various applications will be offered, including IPTV, VoIP, VoD, PVR and others. With regards to gaming, the need to compete with PlayStation and Xbox will require a radical change in system architecture. While traditional CE equipment suffers from having to meet low BOM (bill of materials) targets, dictated by highly competitive market and cable companies targeted costs, consoles enjoy superior hardware and software capabilities, being able to offset hardware and BOM costs with software royalties. Exent Technologies is leading the European FP6 Integrated Project Games@Large, whose mission is to research, develop and implement a new platform aimed at providing users with a richer variety of entertainment experience in familiar environments, such as their house, hotel room, and Internet Cafe. This will support low-cost, ubiquitous game-play throughout such environments, while taking advantage of existing hardware and providing multiple members of the family and community the ability to play simultaneously and to share experiences. This paper focuses on one of the innovative aspects of the Games@Large project idea - the interactive streaming of graphical output to client devices. This is achieved by capturing the graphical commands at the DirectX API on the server and rendering them locally, resulting in high visual quality and enabling multiple game execution. In order to support also small handheld devices which lack hardware graphics support, an enhanced video method is additionally provided.

/pdf/games-large-graphics-streaming-architecture-2jhih3dye0.pdf

Games@large graphics streaming architecture

https://www.aeavellas.gr/gkamas/content/JNSA2005.pdf

A. Shani

Papers

Games@large graphics streaming architecture

Application on demand system over the Internet