Framework for restricting resources consumed by ghost agents

• US 20050065994A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mirt, Michael H, Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Hilf, Bill H., Jaiswal, Peeyush
• Granted Patent: US 7,472,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5022 Workload threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for restricting resources consumed by a ghost agent can include the step of registering a ghost agent within a domain. The ghost agent can move across domains of a grid environment responsive to movements of an associated host. Once registered, a containment policy for the domain can be received by the ghost agent. The ghost agent can be configured according to the received containment policy. The containment policy can be utilized to restrict resources that are available to the ghost agent.

Claims

1. A method for restricting resources consumed by a ghost agent comprising the steps of:

registering a ghost agent within a domain, wherein said ghost agent is configured to move across domains of a grid environment responsive to movements of an associated host;

responsive to said registering, conveying a containment policy for said domain to said ghost agent;

configuring said ghost agent according to said received containment policy; and

utilizing said containment policy of said ghost agent to restrict resources available to said ghost agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said utilizing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a resource utilization value for said ghost agent;

comparing said resource utilization value to a limit established by said containment policy; and

if said limit is exceeded, preventing said ghost agent from executing at least one operation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said preventing step further comprises the steps of:

deactivating said ghost agent;

starting an idle timer for said ghost agent; and

when said idle timer exceeds a time threshold, activating said ghost agent.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

establishing a default containment policy for said ghost agent, wherein said configuring step overrides said default containment policy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

removing said ghost agent from said domain; and

responsive to said removing step, de-registering said ghost agent from said domain.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

responsive to said de-registering step, configuring said containment policy of said ghost agent based upon a default containment policy.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

dynamically altering said containment policy of said ghost agent.

8. The method of claim 1, said altering step further comprising the step of:

altering limits of said containment policy for said domain based upon which ghost agents are registered within said domain.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

broadcasting said containment policy updates to registered ghost agents whenever said containment policy of said domain is altered.

10. A framework comprising:

a ghost registry disposed within a domain of a grid environment, wherein said ghost registry comprises a containment policy for said domain; and

at least one ghost agent configured to move from domain to domain within said grid environment, wherein said ghost agents adhere to said containment policy when disposed within said domain.

11. The framework of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one registry agent configured to exchange data between said ghost registry and said ghost agents.

12. The framework of claim 10, wherein said ghost registry further comprises a policy engine configured to dynamically alter resource consumption limits of said containment policy based upon which ghost agents are registered with said domain.

13. The framework of claim 10, further comprising:

a different ghost registry in a different domain of said grid environment having a different containment policy, wherein said ghost agents adhere to said different containment policy when disposed within said different domain.

14. The framework of claim 10, wherein said ghost agents further comprise a ghost containment policy, wherein said ghost agents adhere to said ghost containment policy when disposed within a domain that has no ghost registry.

15. A ghost agent disposed within a grid environment, wherein said ghost agent is configured to move within said grid environment to follow movements of an associated host, said ghost agent comprising:

an interface for associating said ghost agent with a host;

a ghost log configured to record data relating to said host; and

a ghost controller configured to receive at least one containment policy for a domain in which the ghost agent is disposed, wherein said ghost controller is further configured to restrict computing resources consumed by said ghost agent based upon said received containment policy.

16. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

registering a ghost agent within a domain, wherein said ghost agent is configured to move across domains of a grid environment responsive to movements of an associated host;

responsive to said registering, conveying a containment policy for said domain to said ghost agent;

configuring said ghost agent according to said received containment policy; and

utilizing said containment policy of said ghost agent to restrict resources available to said ghost agent.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, wherein said utilizing step further comprises the steps of:

determining a resource utilization value for said ghost agent;

comparing said resource utilization value to a limit established by said containment policy; and

if said limit is exceeded, preventing said ghost agent from executing at least one operation.

18. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, wherein said preventing step further comprises the steps of:

deactivating said ghost agent;

starting an idle timer for said ghost agent; and

when said idle timer exceeds a time threshold, activating said ghost agent.

19. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

establishing a default containment policy for said ghost agent, wherein said configuring step overrides said default containment policy.

20. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

removing said ghost agent from said domain; and

responsive to said removing step, de-registering said ghost agent from said domain.

21. The machine-readable storage of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

responsive to said de-registering step, configuring said containment policy of said ghost agent based upon a default containment policy.

22. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

dynamically altering said containment policy of said ghost agent.

23. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said altering step further comprising the step of:

altering limits of said containment policy for said domain based upon which ghost agents are registered within said domain.

24. The machine-readable storage of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

broadcasting said containment policy updates to registered ghost agents whenever said containment policy of said domain is altered.

25. A system for restricting resources consumed by a ghost agent comprising:

means for registering a ghost agent within a domain, wherein said ghost agent is configured to move across domains of a grid environment responsive to movements of an associated host;

means for conveying a containment policy for said domain to said ghost agent responsive to said registering step;

means for configuring said ghost agent according to said received containment policy; and

means for utilizing said containment policy of said ghost agent to restrict resources available to said ghost agent.