Computing resource allocation based on number of items in a queue and configurable list of computing resource allocation steps

• US 10,635,493 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2017
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Helms, Jon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeon, Jae U
• Application Number:
  US15/812,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20190146840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5011 Pool
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system

Abstract

A method by a computing device to allocate computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps. The method includes determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, where the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps. Each step in the plurality of ordered steps defines a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range. The method further includes adjusting an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.

Claims

1. A method by a computing device to allocate computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps, the method comprising:

determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, wherein the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps, each step in the plurality of ordered steps defining a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range, wherein the plurality of ordered steps specified by the list of computing resource allocation steps includes a first step and a second step that is later in order than the first step, wherein a rate defined by the first step in the plurality of ordered steps is different from a rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined as a sum of a number of computing resources added in each of the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the number of computing resources added in the second step is determined based on a number of items not covered by all previous steps in the plurality of ordered steps that are earlier in order relative to the second step in the plurality of ordered steps and the rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps; and

adjusting an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ordered steps specifies a number of items per computing resource for that step and a maximum number of computing resources for that step.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined by an equation:

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate defined by the first step is higher than the rate defined by the second step.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate defined by the first step is lower than the rate defined by the second step.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the list of computing resource allocation steps via an Application Programming Interface (API).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the queue is associated with a service for premium users, the list of computing resource allocation steps is configured to implement a computing resource allocation scheme where an initial rate at which computing resources are allocated is higher than a rate for non-premium users.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in a second queue based on a current number of items in the second queue and a second list of computing resource allocation steps.

9. A computing device configured to allocate computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps, the computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to;

determine a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, wherein the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps, each step in the plurality of ordered steps defining a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range, wherein the plurality of ordered steps specified by the list of computing resource allocation steps includes a first step and a second step that is later in order than the first step, wherein a rate defined by the first step in the plurality of ordered steps is different from a rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined as a sum of a number of computing resources added in each of the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the number of computing resources added in the second step is determined based on a number of items not covered by all previous steps in the plurality of ordered steps that are earlier in order relative to the second step in the plurality of ordered steps and the rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps and

adjust an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of ordered steps specifies a number of items per computing resource for that step and a maximum number of computing resources for that step.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined by an equation:

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the rate defined by the first step is higher than the rate defined by the second step.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the rate defined by the first step is lower than the rate defined by the second step.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to access the list of computing resource allocation steps from a relational database.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations for allocating computing resources for processing items in a queue using a list of computing resource allocation steps, the operations comprising:

determining a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue based on a current number of items in the queue and the list of computing resource allocation steps, wherein the list of computing resource allocation steps specifies a plurality of ordered steps, each step in the plurality of ordered steps defining a rate at which additional computing resources are allocated for processing items in the queue when the number of items in the queue is within a particular range, wherein the plurality of ordered steps specified by the list of computing resource allocation steps includes a first step and a second step that is later in order than the first step, wherein a rate defined by the first step in the plurality of ordered steps is different from a rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined as a sum of a number of computing resources added in each of the plurality of ordered steps, wherein the number of computing resources added in the second step is determined based on a number of items not covered by all previous steps in the plurality of ordered steps that are earlier in order relative to the second step in the plurality of ordered steps and the rate defined by the second step in the plurality of ordered steps; and

adjusting an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the queue to match the determined total amount.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of ordered steps specifies a number of items per computing resource for that step and a maximum number of computing resources for that step.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the queue is determined by an equation:

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the rate defined by the first step is higher than the rate defined by the second step.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the rate defined by the first step is lower than the rate defined by the second step.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to determine a total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in a second queue based on a current number of items in the second queue and a second list of computing resource allocation steps and adjust an amount of computing resources allocated for processing items in the second queue to match the determined total amount of computing resources that are to be allocated for processing items in the second queue.