Showing papers on "Shared resource published in 2004"

Routing of resource information in a network

Abstract: A media server (302) in a Universal Plug and Play network (300) includes a resource sharing service (322) to govern the distribution of resource information regarding resources to rendering devices (304-312). In one case, the resource sharing service (322) consults a creiterion to determine whether an identified network device is authorized to receive resource information. In another case, the resource sharing service (322) consults another criterion to determine whether a specified individual associated with the media server (302) must consent to the transfer of the resource information in order for the transfer to occur. The resource information may include resource metadata that describes high level information regarding resources, as well as resource content. The media server (302) includes various user interface presentations that allow the media server user to specify shared resources and distribution criteria.

An Empirical Analysis of Network Externalities in Peer-to-Peer Music-Sharing Networks

Abstract: Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks are an important medium for the distribution of information goods. However, there is little empirical research into the optimal design of these networks under real-world conditions. Early speculation about the behavior of P2P networks has focused on the role that positive network externalities play in improving performance as the network grows. However, negative network externalities also arise in P2P networks because of the consumption of scarce network resources or an increased propensity of users to free ride in larger networks, and the impact of these negative network externalities--while potentially important--has received far less attention.Our research addresses this gap in understanding by measuring the impact of both positive and negative network externalities on the optimal size of P2P networks. Our research uses a unique dataset collected from the six most popular OpenNap P2P networks between December 19, 2000, and April 22, 2001. We find that users contribute additional value to the network at a decreasing rate and impose costs on the network at an increasing rate, while the network increases in size. Our results also suggest that users are less likely to contribute resources to the network as the network size increases. Together, these results suggest that the optimal size of these centralized P2P networks is bounded--At some point the costs that a marginal user imposes on the network will exceed the value they provide to the network. This finding is in contrast to early predictions that larger P2P networks would always provide more value to users than smaller networks. Finally, these results also highlight the importance of considering user incentives--an important determinant of resource sharing in P2P networks--in network design.

A Score-Based Opportunistic Scheduler for Fading Radio Channels

Abstract: While fading effects have long been combatted in 2G wireless networks, primarly devoted to voice calls, they are now seen as an opportunity to increase the capacity of 3G networks that incorporate data traffic. The packet delay tolerance of data applications, such as file transfers and Web browsing for instance, allows the system flexibility in scheduling a user's packets. Opportunistic scheduling ensures transmission occurs when radio conditions are most favorable. This paper discusses different resource sharing strategies and presents some shortcomings of the classical Proportional Fair opportunistic scheduler. A new algorithm, called the Score-Based scheduler, is presented and shown to overcome these drawbacks.

Exchange-based incentive mechanisms for peer-to-peer file sharing

Abstract: Performance of peer-to-peer resource sharing networks depends upon the level of cooperation of the participants. To date, cash-based systems have seemed too complex, while lighter-weight credit mechanisms have not provided strong incentives for cooperation. We propose exchange-based mechanisms that provide incentives for cooperation in peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Peers give higher service priority to requests from peers that can provide a simultaneous and symmetric service in return. We generalize this approach to n-way exchanges among rings of peers and present a search algorithm for locating such rings. We have used simulation to analyze the effect of exchanges on performance. Our results show that exchange-based mechanisms can provide strong incentives for sharing, offering significant improvements in service times for sharing users compared to free-riders, without the problems and complexity of cash- or credit-based systems.

System and method for federated security in an energy management system

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing authentication of data source and integrity between applications and users in different Non Affiliated Entities/organizations while limiting access to resources between private networks of energy management devices. A Non Affiliated Entity (“NAE”) is an organization, individual or group of entities that may share some information with each other but are not closely tied, such as a group of competitor utilities. In conducting their operations, two or more applications or organizations (NAEs) may not fully trust one another, but wish to share some EM data and resources. These NAEs identify users, such as EM devices, using a “federated security” scheme that may be based on Kerberos, which allows users from one NAE to be identified to another NAE. Web service security can be combined with federated security based authentication and access control to provide for secure exchange of EM data between users of different NABs. Federation is a technology and business agreement whereby users (including non-human users such as EM devices and EM software) that are part of a single or separate organization are able to interact through a system of authentication that allows for distributed processing, data sharing and resource sharing.

SoftUDC: a software-based data center for utility computing

Abstract: Utility computing aims to aggregate server, network, and storage systems into a single, centrally managed pool of resources. SoftUDC, a virtual machine monitor, lets applications and administrative domains share physical resources while maintaining full functional isolation.

OS agnostic resource sharing across multiple computing platforms

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for sharing resources across a plurality of computing platforms. Firmware provided on each platform is loaded for operating system runtime availability. Shared resources are presented to operating systems running on the platforms as local resources, while in reality they are generally hosted by other platforms. An operating system resource access request is received by a requesting platform and rerouted to another platform that actually hosts a target resource used to service the resource access request. Global resource maps are employed to determine the appropriate host platforms. Communications between the platforms is enabled via an out-of-band (OOB) communication channel or network. A hidden execution mode is implemented to effectuate data rerouting via the OOB channel such that the method is performed in a manner that is transparent to operating systems running on the platforms. The shared resources include storage, input, and video devices. The method can be used to support shared KVM resources, and shared disk storage.

Method and system for use of storage caching with a distributed file system

Abstract: A storage caching method and system manages shared access to real time data files while maintaining data file coherency and consistency in a computer network including a plurality of remote computer workstations and at least one file server. The storage caching system is implemented by storage caches, which are associated with workstations, and a cache server, which is associated with a file server, where the storage caches and the cache server interface with a distributed file system to provide shared access to real time data files by remote workstations.

Method and apparatus for resource sharing over handset terminals

Abstract: A mechanism and supporting apparatus to enable resource sharing among groups of users over mobile terminals. The system presented leverages the carrier infrastructure to simplify the requirements at the terminals, and describes a graphical user interface binding mechanism that allows developing generic graphical users interfaces that can be customized to heterogeneous devices at run-time.

Power management coordination in multi-core processors

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing power provide for issuing a first operating requirement from a first processor core and issuing a second operating requirement from a second processor core. In one embodiment, the operating requirements can reflect either a power policy or a performance policy, depending upon the factor that is currently most important to software. Hardware coordination logic is used to coordinate a shared resource setting with the operating requirements. The hardware coordination logic is also able to coordinate the shared resource setting with independent resource settings of the first and second processor cores based on the operating requirements.

QoS specification languages for distributed multimedia applications: a survey and taxonomy

Abstract: Following considerable research into quality-of-service-aware application programming interface design and QoS specification language development for multimedia systems, we present a survey and taxonomy of existing QoS specification languages. As computer and communication technology evolves, distributed multimedia applications are becoming ubiquitous, and quality of service (QoS) is becoming ever more integral to those applications. Because they consume so many resources (such as memory and bandwidth), multimedia applications need resource management at different layers of the communications protocol stack to ensure end-to-end service quality, and to regulate resource contention for equitable resource sharing. However, before an application can invoke any QoS-aware resource management mechanisms and policies - such as admission control, resource reservation, enforcement, and adaptation - it must specify its QoS requirements and the corresponding resource allocations. Furthermore, the application must describe how QoS should be scaled and adapted in cases of resource contention or resource scarcity during runtime. Our goal in this article is to systematically classify and compare the existing QoS specification languages that span several QoS layers with diverse properties. The provided taxonomy and the extensive analysis will give us a detailed look at the existing QoS specification languages along with their properties and relations.

Sharc: managing CPU and network bandwidth in shared clusters

Abstract: We argue the need for effective resource management mechanisms for sharing resources in commodity clusters. To address this issue, we present the design of Sharc-a system that enables resource sharing among applications in such clusters. Sharc depends on single node resource management mechanisms such as reservations or shares, and extends the benefits of such mechanisms to clustered environments. We present techniques for managing two important resources-CPU and network interface bandwidth-on a cluster-wide basis. Our techniques allow Sharc to 1) support reservation of CPU and network interface bandwidth for distributed applications, 2) dynamically allocate resources based on past usage, and 3) provide performance isolation to applications. Our experimental evaluation has shown that Sharc can scale to 256 node clusters running 100,000 applications. These results demonstrate that Sharc can be an effective approach for sharing resources among competing applications in moderate size clusters.

On achieving optimal survivable routing for shared protection in survivable next-generation Internet

Abstract: This paper proposes a suite of approaches to solve the survivable routing problem with shared protection. We first define in mathematics the maximum extent of resource sharing for a protection path given the corresponding working path according to the current network link-state. Then the problem of solving the least-cost working & protection path-pair (in terms of the sum of the cost) is formulated into an Integer Linear Programming process. Due to the dependency of the protection path on its working path, however, the formulation is not scalable with the network size, and takes an extra effort to solve. Therefore, we introduce two heuristic algorithms, called Iterative Two-Step-Approach (ITSA) & Maximum Likelihood Relaxation (MLR), which aim to explore the approximating optimal solutions with less computation time. We evaluate the performance of the proposed schemes, and make a comparison with some reported counterparts. The simulation results show that the ITSA scheme, with a properly defined tolerance to optimality, can achieve the best performance at the expense of more computation time. On the other hand, MLR delivers a compromise between computation efficiency & performance.

Server architecture for network resource information routing

Abstract: A media server in a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network includes a resource sharing service to govern the distribution of media resource information to rendering devices. The media server includes: a media service module operating in a clamped down user context (e.g., a local service user context) and configured to share resource information over the network; a supplemental module operating in a local system user context and configured to assist the media service module in sharing resource information over the network; and a control panel module operating in a logged on user context and configured to interact with a user via a user interface display. The local system user context provides a higher level of access to media server resources compared to the clamped down user context. The media server also provides fast user switching (FUS) functionality that allows multiple users to have respective instances of the control panel module pending at the same time. Further, the media server includes a mechanism to prevent rogue applications from masquerading as the control panel module and thereby gaining unauthorized access to the media service module.

QoS in grid computing

Abstract: Grid computing is already a mainstream paradigm for resource-intensive scientific applications, but it also promises to become the future model for enterprise applications. The grid enables resource sharing and dynamic allocation of computational resources, thus increasing access to distributed data, promoting operational flexibility and collaboration, and allowing service providers to scale efficiently to meet variable demands. Large-scale grids are complex systems composed of thousands of components from disjoined domains. Planning the capacity to guarantee quality of service (QoS) in such environments is a challenge because global service-level agreements (SLAs) depend on local SLAs. We provide a motivating example for grid computing in an enterprise environment and then discuss the how resource allocation affects SLAs.

Apparatus and method for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors via resource allocation and restriction

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors (CMP) via resource restriction. In one embodiment, the method includes the accessing of a resource utilization register to identify a resource utilization policy. Once accessed, a processor controller ensures that the processor core utilizes a shared resource in a manner specified by the resource utilization policy. In one embodiment, each processor core within a CMP includes an instruction issue throttle resource utilization register, an instruction fetch throttle resource utilization register and other like ways of restricting its utilization of shared resources within a minimum and maximum utilization level. In one embodiment, resource restriction provides a flexible manner for allocating current and power resources to processor cores of a CMP that can be controlled by hardware or software. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Self-Organizing Agents for Grid Load Balancing

Abstract: A computational grid is a wide-area computing environment for cross-domain resource sharing and service integration. Resource management and load balancing are key concerns when implementing grid middleware and improving resource utilization. Grid resource management can be implemented as a multi-agent system with resource advertisement and discovery capabilities if job requests from users are associated with explicit QoS requirements. In this work agent-based self-organization is proposed to perform complementary load balancing for batch jobs with no explicit execution deadlines. In particular, an ant-like self-organizing mechanism is introduced and proved to be powerful to achieve overall grid load balancing through a collection of very simple local interactions. A modeling and simulation environment is developed to enable performance of the ant algorithm to be investigated quantitatively. Simulation results included in this work illustrate the impact of different performance optimization strategies on the overall system load balancing level, speed and efficiency.

System and method for allocating computing resources for a grid virtual system

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for allocating computing resources comprises executing a plurality of applications and a grid virtual system within a shared resource domain, assigning computing resources to the plurality of applications to process application transactions, dynamically reallocating computing resources associated with the plurality of applications to the grid virtual system when the computing resources are idle, registering availability of grid services in response to the reallocating, scheduling grid jobs for execution within the grid virtual system, and modifying at least one reallocation parameter in response to the scheduling.

Method and system for effective utilization of data storage capacity

Abstract: A method and system for effective utilization of data storage capacity on storage resources of a communicatively coupled network system involves the creation of a data storage architecture that provides for a dynamic, percentage based segmentation of ‘total installed capacity’ or ‘available/unused storage capacity’ on all or selected nodes on the network system into dedicated and shared storage segments. The storage architecture also employs a centralized file server directly in the path of a distributed network file system in the preferred operating mode, where the centralized server acts uniquely as a host of original data and also as a back-up device.

Automatically composed workflows for grid environments

Abstract: Once the realm of high-performance computing for scientific applications, grid computing is rising as a key enabling infrastructure for resource sharing and coordinated problem solving in dynamic multiinstitutional virtual organizations. Grids build over networking technology to provide middleware support such as locating files over a network of computers, scheduling the distributed execution of jobs, and managing resource sharing and access policies.2 The need of scientific communities to interconnect applications, data, expertise, and computing resources is shared by other application areas, such as business, government, medical care, and education.

Synchronized storage providing multiple synchronization semantics

Abstract: A shared resource access control system having a gating storage responsive to a plurality of controls with each of the controls derived from an instruction context identifying the shared resource, the gating storage including a plurality of sets of access method functions with each set of access method functions including a first access method function and a second access method function with the gating storage producing a particular one access method function from a particular one set responsive to the controls; and a controller, coupled to the gating storage, for controlling access to the shared resource using the particular one access method function.

Resource Space Grid: model, method and platform

Abstract: A Resource Space Grid is a virtual Grid that aims at effectively sharing, using and managing versatile resources across the Internet. The kernel of the Resource Space Grid includes a Resource Space Model (RSM) and a uniform Resource Using Mechanism (RUM). This paper presents the Resource Space Grid's core scientific issues and methodology, architecture, model and theory, design criteria and method, and practice. A normal form theory is proposed to normalize the resource space—a coordinate system for uniformly specifying and organizing resources. The RUM provides not only the end-users with an operable resource browser to operate resources using the built-in Resource Operation Language (ROL), but also the application developers with the ROL-based programming environment. The prototype platform based on the proposed model and method has been implemented and used for sharing and managing resources in distributed research teams. Operations on Resource Spaces can constitute the virtual communities of Resource Space Grids—a platform independent resource sharing environment. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adaptive multi-resource prediction in distributed resource sharing environment

Abstract: Resource prediction can greatly assist resource selection and scheduling in a distributed resource sharing environment such as a computational Grid. Existing resource prediction models are either based on the auto-correlation of a single resource or based on the cross correlation between two resources. In this paper, we propose a multi-resource prediction model (MModel) that uses both kinds of correlations to achieve higher prediction accuracy. We also present two adaptation techniques that enable the MModel to adapt to the time-varying characteristics of the underlying resources. Experimental results with CPU load prediction in both workstation and Grid environment show that on average, the adaptive MModel (called MModel-a) can achieve from 6% to more than 96% reduction in prediction errors compared with the autoregressive (AR) model, which has previously been shown to work well for CPU load predictions.

Method and apparatus for controlling exclusive access to a shared resource in a data storage system

Abstract: A method for controlling exclusive access to a resource shared by multiple processors in a data storage system includes providing a system lock procedure to permit a processor to obtain a lock on the shared resource preventing other processors from accessing the shared resource and providing a faked lock procedure to indicate to the system lock procedure that a processor has a lock on the shared resource where such a lock does not exist, and wherein the faked lock procedure prevents another processor from obtaining the lock on the shared resource, but does not prevent other processors from accessing the shared resource. A data storage system according to the invention includes a shared resource, a plurality of processors coupled to the shared resource through a communication channel, and a lock services procedure providing the system lock procedure and the faked lock procedure. In one embodiment, the shared resource is a cache and the system lock procedure permits a processor to lock the entire cache whereas the faked lock procedure is implemented by a processor seeking exclusive access of a cache slot.

Usage Policy-Based CPU Sharing in Virtual Organizations

Abstract: Resource sharing within grid collaborations usually implies specific sharing mechanisms at participating sites. Challenging policy issues can arise within virtual organizations (VOs) that integrate participants and resources spanning multiple physical institutions. Resource owners may wish to grant to one or more VOs the right to use certain resources subject to local policy and service level agreements, and each VO may then wish to use those resources subject to VO policy. Thus, we must address the question of what usage policies (UPs) should be considered for resource sharing in VOs. As a first step in addressing this question, we develop and evaluate different UP scenarios within a specialized context that mimics scientific grids within which the resources to be shared are computers. We also present a UP architecture and define roles and functions for scheduling resources in such grid environments while satisfying resource owner policies.

Adaptive resource management in middleware: a survey

Abstract: Current middleware technologies cannot meet the demands of new application areas, such as embedded and mobile systems, that require mechanisms for dealing with a changing environment. This article reviews several approaches for providing adaptive resource management for middleware. Current middleware technologies, such as the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and .NET (http://msdn.microsoft.com/net), mask system and network heterogeneity problems and alleviate the inherent complexity of distributed systems in many application areas. However, the recent emergence of new application areas for middleware, such as embedded systems, real-time systems, and multimedia, imposes challenges that few existing middleware platforms can meet. In particular, because they impose greater resource-sharing and dynamism demands, these application areas require more complex and sophisticated middleware. Resource sharing must be controlled and predictable to ensure that activities running on the same middleware instance have adequate resources.

Modeling shared resource contention using a hybrid simulation/analytical approach

Abstract: Future Systems-on-Chips will include multiple heterogeneous processing units, with complex data-dependent shared resource access patterns dictating the performance of a design. Currently, the most accurate methods of simulating the interactions between these components operate at the cycle-accurate level, which can be very slow to execute for large systems. Analytical models sacrifice accuracy for speed, and cannot cope with dynamic data-dependent behavior well. We propose a hybrid approach combining simulation with piecewise evaluation of analytical models that apply time penalties to simulated regions. Our experimental results show that for representative heterogeneous multiprocessor applications, simulation time can be decreased by 100 times over cycle-accurate models, while the error can be reduced by 60% to 80% over traditional analytical models to within 18% of an ISS simulation.

Concurrent access of shared resources

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method to manage access to a shared resource by a plurality of processes in a multithreaded computer via a collection of atomic operations that track both the order in which requests that use a shared resource are received, and the order in which processing of such requests are completed after they are received. Dispatching of requests is effectively deferred until processing of all non-dispatched requests that were received earlier than a most recently completed request has been completed. In many instances, completion of processing of requests can be performed non-atomically, thus reducing contention issues with respect to the shared resource. Furthermore, dispatching of requests may be batched to reduce the overhead associated with individual dispatch operations.

Node Participation in Ad Hoc and Peer-to-Peer Networks: A Game-Theoretic Formulation

Abstract: Ad hoc and peer-to-peer networks sometimes operate as voluntary resource sharing networks, relying on users’ willingness to spend their own resources for the common good. As the costs of such resource sharing (what we call “node participation”) outweigh the benefits perceived by the nodes, users are less likely to participate, compromising overall network goals. The contribution of this paper is to formalize some of the relevant tradeoffs as a first step toward the design of appropriate incentive structures. We formulate a game theoretic model for node participation and derive conditions that will lead to a socially desirable equilibrium. We also analyze the impact of threats posed by a rogue node in the network.

Method for operating a computer cluster

Abstract: The invention allows for dealing with failures that may result in split-brain situations. In particular the safe management of shared resources is supported even though the owners of a shared resource may be subject to split-brain situation. In addition our invention allows us to update the cluster configuration despite the fact that some members of the cluster cannot be reached during the reconfiguration. The policies imposed by our invention ensure that all nodes started always use the up-to-date configuration as working configuration or if that is not possible the administrator is warned about a potential inconsistency of the configuration.