Probabilistic resource allocation in heterogeneous distributed systems with random failures

The problem of finding efficient workload distribution techniques is becoming increasingly important today for heterogeneous distributed systems where the availability of compute nodes may change spontaneously over time. Resource-allocation policies designed for such systems should maximize the performance and, at the same time, be robust against failure and recovery of compute nodes. Such a policy, based on the concepts of the Derman–Lieberman–Ross theorem, is proposed in this work, and is applied to a simulated model of a dedicated system composed of a set of heterogeneous image processing servers. Assuming that each image results in a “reward” if its processing is completed before a certain deadline, the goal for the resource allocation policy is to maximize the expected cumulative reward. An extensive analysis was done to study the performance of the proposed policy and compare it with the performance of some existing policies adapted to this environment. Our experiments conducted for various types of task-machine heterogeneity illustrate the potential of our method for solving resource allocation problems in a broad spectrum of distributed systems that experience high failure rates.     

An intelligent query processing for distributed ontologies

In this paper, we propose an intelligent distributed query processing method considering the characteristics of a distributed ontology environment. We suggest more general models of the distributed ontology query and the semantic mapping among distributed ontologies compared with the previous works. Our approach rewrites a distributed ontology query into multiple distributed ontology queries using the semantic mapping, and we can obtain the integrated answer through the execution of these queries. Furthermore, we propose a distributed ontology query processing algorithm with several query optimization techniques: pruning rules to remove unnecessary queries, a cost model considering site load balancing and caching, and a heuristic strategy for scheduling plans to be executed at a local site. Finally, experimental results show that our optimization techniques are effective to reduce the response time.     

An adaptable distributed query processing architecture

Traditionally, distributed query optimization techniques generate static query plans at compile time. However, the optimality of these plans depends on many parameters (such as the selectivities of operations, the transmission speeds and workloads of servers) that are not only difficult to estimate but are also often unpredictable and fluctuant at runtime. As the query processor cannot dynamically adjust the plans at runtime, the system performance is often less than satisfactory. In this paper, we introduce a new highly adaptive distributed query processing architecture. Our architecture can quickly detect fluctuations in selectivities of operations, as well as transmission speeds and workloads of servers, and accordingly change the operation order of a distributed query plan during execution. We have implemented a prototype based on the Telegraph system [Telegragraph project. Available from >]. Our experimental study shows that our mechanism can adapt itself to the changes in the environment and hence approach to an optimal plan during execution.     

Dual time-scale distributed capacity allocation and load redirect algorithms for cloud systems

Resource management remains one of the main issues of cloud computing providers because system resources have to be continuously allocated to handle workload fluctuations while guaranteeing Service Level Agreements (SLA) to the end users. In this paper, we propose novel capacity allocation algorithms able to coordinate multiple distributed resource controllers operating in geographically distributed cloud sites. Capacity allocation solutions are integrated with a load redirection mechanism which, when necessary, distributes incoming requests among different sites. The overall goal is to minimize the costs of allocated resources in terms of virtual machines, while guaranteeing SLA constraints expressed as a threshold on the average response time. We propose a distributed solution which integrates workload prediction and distributed non-linear optimization techniques. Experiments show how the proposed solutions improve other heuristics proposed in literature without penalizing SLAs, and our results are close to the global optimum which can be obtained by an oracle with a perfect knowledge about the future offered load.     

Consensus-based evaluation framework for distributed information retrieval systems

Multi-agent systems have been attacking the challenges of information retrieval tasks on distributed environment. In this paper, we propose a consensus choice selection method based framework to evaluate the performance of cooperative information retrieval tasks of the multiple agents. Thereby, two well-known measurements, precision and recall, are extended to handle consensual closeness (i.e., local and global consensus) between the sets of retrieved results. We show that in a motivating example the proposed criteria are prone to solve the rigidity problem of classical precision and recall. More importantly, the retrieved results can be ranked with respect to the consensual score, and the ranking mechanism has been verified to be more reasonable.

Skyframe: a framework for skyline query processing in peer-to-peer systems

This paper looks at the processing of skyline queries on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. We propose Skyframe, a framework for efficient skyline query processing in P2P systems, which addresses the challenges of quick response time, low network communication cost and query load balancing among peers. Skyframe consists of two querying methods: one is optimized for network communication while the other focuses on query response time. These methods are different in the way in which the query search space is defined. In particular, the first method uses a high dominating point that has a large dominating region to prune the search space to achieve a low cost in network communication. On the other hand, the second method relaxes the search space in order to allow parallel query processing to speed up query response. Skyframe achieves query load balancing by both query load conscious data space splitting/merging during the join/departure of nodes and dynamic load migration. We further show how to apply Skyframe to both the P2P systems supporting multi-dimensional indexing and the P2P systems supporting single-dimensional indexing. Finally, we have conducted extensive experiments on both real and synthetic data sets over two existing P2P systems: CAN (Ratnasamy in A scalable content-addressable network. In: Proceedings of SIGCOMM Conference, pp. 161–172, 2001) and BATON (Jagadish et al. in A balanced tree structure for peer-to-peer networks. In: Proceedings of VLDB Conference, pp. 661–672, 2005) to evaluate the effectiveness and scalability of Skyframe.     

A formal framework for verifying distributed embedded systems based on abstraction methods

This paper presents a formal framework for verifying distributed embedded systems. An embedded system is described as a set of concurrent real time functions which communicate through a network of interconnected switches involving messages queues and routing services.In order to allow requirements verification, such a model is then translated into timed automata. However, the complexity inherent in distributed embedded systems often does not allow to apply model checking techniques. Consequently, the paper presents an abstraction-based verification method which consists in abstracting the communication network by end-to-end timed channels. To prove a given safety property φ requires then (1) to prove a set of proof obligations ensuring the correctness of the abstraction step (i.e. the end-to-end channels correctly abstract the network), and (2) to prove φ at the abstract level. The expected advantage of such a method lies in the ability to overcome the combinatorial explosion frequently met when verifying complex systems. This method is illustrated by an avionic case study.     

A new model for distributed database systems - RETRACTED ARTICLE

A model is developed for allocating tables in a distributed database system. The model considers memory cost, transmission cost, table size and request rates, as well as updating rates of tables, the maximum allowable expected access times to tables at each computer and the memory capacity of each computer. The objective function is concerned with overall operating cost optimality. In this regard, the model is formulated as a non-linear integer zero–one programming problem, which can be converted into a linear zero–one programming model.     

Game-theoretic static load balancing for distributed systems

In this paper, we present a game theoretic approach to solve the static load balancing problem for single-class and multi-class (multi-user) jobs in a distributed system where the computers are connected by a communication network. The objective of our approach is to provide fairness to all the jobs (in a single-class system) and the users of the jobs (in a multi-user system). To provide fairness to all the jobs in the system, we use a cooperative game to model the load balancing problem. Our solution is based on the Nash Bargaining Solution (NBS) which provides a Pareto optimal solution for the distributed system and is also a fair solution. An algorithm for computing the NBS is derived for the proposed cooperative load balancing game. To provide fairness to all the users in the system, the load balancing problem is formulated as a non-cooperative game among the users who try to minimize the expected response time of their own jobs. We use the concept of Nash equilibrium as the solution of our non-cooperative game and derive a distributed algorithm for computing it. Our schemes are compared with other existing schemes using simulations with various system loads and configurations. We show that our schemes perform near the system optimal schemes and are superior to the other schemes in terms of fairness.     

Markov-chain based reliability analysis for distributed systems

In a typical distributed computing system (DCS), nodes consist of processing elements, memory units, shared resources, data files, and programs. For a distributed application, programs and data files are distributed among many processing elements that may exchange data and control information via communication link. The reliability of DCS can be expressed by the analysis of distributed program reliability (DPR) and distributed system reliability (DSR). In this paper, two reliability measures are introduced which are Markov-chain distributed program reliability (MDPR) and Markov-chain distributed system reliability (MDSR) to accurately model the reliability of DCS. A discrete time Markov chain with one absorbing state is constructed for this problem. The transition probability matrix is employed to represent the transition probability from one state to another state in a unit of time. In addition to mathematical method to evaluate the MDPR and MDSR, a simulation result is also presented to prove its correction.     

An effective iterated greedy algorithm for reliability-oriented task allocation in distributed computing systems

This paper investigates the problem of allocating parallel application tasks to processors in heterogeneous distributed computing systems with the goal of maximizing the system reliability. The problem of finding an optimal task allocation for more than three processors is known to be NP-hard in the strong sense. To deal with this challenging problem, we propose a simple and effective iterative greedy algorithm to find the best possible solution within a reasonable amount of computation time. The algorithm first uses a constructive heuristic to obtain an initial assignment and iteratively improves it in a greedy way. We study the performance of the proposed algorithm over a wide range of parameters including problem size, the ratio of average communication time to average computation time, and task interaction density. The viability and effectiveness of our algorithm is demonstrated by comparing it with recently proposed task allocation algorithms for maximizing system reliability available in the literature.     

Data-base management systems—Data models and query languages

Data-base management systems support three types of data model—hierarchic, network, and relational. Query facilities range from high-level, nonprocedural languages to host-language, coded procedures. Evaluation of DBMS for geoscience applications requires careful consideration of both these features.     

Utopia: A load sharing facility for large,heterogeneous distributed computer systems

Load sharing in large, heterogeneous distributed systems allows users to access vast amounts of computing resources scattered around the system and may provide substantial performance improvements to applications. We discuss the design and implementation issues in Utopia, a load sharing facility specifically built for large and heterogeneous systems. The system has no restriction on the types of tasks that can be remotely executed, involves few application changes and no operating system change, supports a high degree of transparency for remote task execution, and incurs low overhead. The algorithms for managing resource load information and task placement take advantage of the clustering nature of large-scale distributed systems; centralized algorithms are used within host clusters, and directed graph algorithms are used among the clusters to make Utopia scalable to thousands of hosts. Task placements in Utopia exploit the heterogeneous hosts and consider varying resource demands of the tasks. A range of mechanisms for remote execution is available in Utopia that provides varying degrees of transparency and efficiency. A number of applications have been developed for Utopia, ranging from a load sharing command interpreter, to parallel and distributed applications, to a distributed batch facility. For example, an enhanced Unix command interpreter allows arbitrary commands and user jobs to be executed remotely, and a parallel make facility achieves speed-ups of 15 or more by processing a collection of tasks in parallel on a number of hosts.     

A framework for simulating real-time multi-agent systems

In this paper, we describe an implementation of use in demonstrating the effectiveness of architectures for real-time multi-agent systems. The implementation provides a simulation of a simplified RoboCup Search and Rescue environment, with unexpected events, and includes a simulator for both a real-time operating system and a CPU. We present experimental evidence to demonstrate the benefit of the implementation in the context of a particular hybrid architecture for multi-agent systems that allows certain agents to remain fully autonomous, while others are fully controlled by a coordinating agent. In addition, we discuss the value of the implementation for testing any models for the construction of real-time multi-agent systems and include a comparison to related work.

A high-performance computing method for data allocation in distributed database systems

Enhancing the performance of the DDBs (Distributed Database system) can be done by speeding up the computation of the data allocation, leading to higher speed allocation decisions and resulting in smaller data redundancy and shorter processing time. This paper deals with an integrated method for grouping the distributed sites into clusters and customizing the database fragments allocation to the clusters and their sites. We design a high speed clustering and allocating method to determine which fragments would be allocated to which cluster and site so as to maintain data availability and a constant systemic reliability, and evaluate the performance achieved by this method and demonstrate its efficiency by means of tabular and graphical representation. We tested our method over different network sites and found it reduces the data transferred between the sites during the execution time, minimizes the communication cost needed for processing applications, and handles the database queries and meets their future needs.     

A self-tuning regulator for distributed parameter systems

The control of distributed parameter systems with constant, but unknown parameters is considered. A weighted average of the distributed output on the spatial domain is defined as a new variable and is used to generate the control. The parameters of the model are estimated using recursive least squares estimation. The control is obtained using a minimum variance strategy based on the estimated parameters. Distributed disturbances and measurement noise are allowed to be present. Measurements at a finite number of points in the spatial domain are used in obtaining a discrete-time model. From the simulation of a one-sided heating diffusion process the self-tuning regulator is shown to have attractive characteristics and hence can be recommended for practical on-line control of distributed parameter systems.