System for assigning and monitoring grid jobs on a computing grid

• US 20040215590A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Kroening, James L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

A method is disclosed for assigning a job to grid computers on a computing grid that includes collecting information from the grid computers about attributes of the computer, grouping the computers into groups based upon the attributes, receiving a job from a customer, determining the attributes needed to perform the job, comparing the attributes needed to perform the job to the attributes of the groups, and submitting the job to at least one of the grid computers of the group having the needed attributes. Also disclosed is a method of reporting progress of performance of a job by a grid computer, which includes receiving a job by the grid computer, initiating performance of the job on the grid computer, periodically communicating a current status of the performance of the job on the grid computer, and returning results of the performance of the job to the grid manager.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a grid job to grid computers on a computing grid for performing the grid job, comprising:

collecting information from the grid computers about attributes of the grid computer;

grouping the grid computers of the computing grid into groups of grid computers based upon the attributes of the grid computers;

receiving a grid job request from a grid customer;

determining the attributes needed to perform the grid job request;

comparing the attributes needed to perform the grid job to the attributes of the groups of the grid computers; and

submitting the grid job to at least one of the grid computers of the group of grid computers having the attributes needed to perform the grid job.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein grouping the grid computers includes storing a topology of each of the groups of grid computers on a database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein grouping the grid computers into groups includes grouping grid computers together having similar levels of one of the attributes of the grid computers.

4. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising updating the groups of grid computers when a grid computer is added to or removed from the computing grid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises performance.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises a type of operating system for the grid computers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises availability of the grid computers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting information from the grid computers includes recording on a database the information about the attributes of the grid computers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of collecting, grouping and comparing are performed by a grid manager computer for managing the computing grid.

10. A method of reporting progress of performance of a grid job by a grid computer of a computing grid, comprising:

receiving a grid job request by the grid computer from a grid manager;

initiating performance of the grid job request on the grid computer;

periodically communicating a current status of the performance of the grid job request on the grid computer to the grid manager; and

returning results of the performance of the grid job request to the grid manager.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein communicating the current status includes sending a status message to the grid manager with the current status of the performance of the grid job.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein sending the status message includes informing the grid manager of a portion of the grid job that has been completed when the status message is sent.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein sending the status message occurs at substantially uniform time intervals.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein sending the status message occurs at time intervals that are variable.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the status massages are sent at time intervals set by the grid manager.

16. The method of claim 10 further including providing a local manager application on each of the grid computers of the computing grid for periodically sending the status messages.

17. The method of claim 10 additionally including maintaining a job status log on the grid manager of the computing grid;

and

informing the grid customer as to the current status of the grid job based upon the job status log prior to completion of the grid job request.

18. A system for assigning a grid job to grid computers on a computing grid for performing the grid job, comprising:

means for collecting information from the grid computers about attributes of the grid computer;

means for grouping the grid computers of the computing grid into groups of grid computers based upon the attributes of the grid computers;

means for receiving a grid job request from a grid customer;

means for determining the attributes needed to perform the grid job request;

means for comparing the attributes needed to perform the grid job to the attributes of the groups of the grid computers; and

means for submitting the grid job to at least one of the grid computers of the group of grid computers having the attributes needed to perform the grid job.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for grouping the grid computers into groups includes means for grouping grid computers together having similar levels of one of the attributes of the grid computers.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises performance.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises a type of operating system for the grid computers.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the attributes of the grid computers comprises availability of the grid computers.

23. A system of reporting progress of performance of a grid job by a grid computer of a computing grid, comprising:

means for receiving a grid job request by the grid computer from a grid manager;

means for initiating performance of the grid job request on the grid computer;

means for periodically communicating a current status of the performance of the grid job request on the grid computer to the grid manager; and

means for returning results of the performance of the grid job request to the grid manager.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for communicating the current status includes means for sending a status message to the grid manager with the current status of the performance of the grid job.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for sending the status message includes means for informing the grid manager of a portion of the grid job that has been completed when the status message is sent.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for sending the status massage is variable and programmable by the grid manager.