System and method for dynamically building application environments in a computational grid

• US 20060005181A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seaman, James Wesley, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Joseph, Joshy, Fellenstein, Craig William
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5005 to service a request
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems

Abstract

Computing environments within a grid computing system are dynamically built in response to specific job resource requirements from a grid resource allocator, including activating needed hardware, provisioning operating systems, application programs, and software drivers. Optimally, prior to building a computing environment for a particular job, cost/revenue analysis is performed, and if operational objectives would not be met by building the environment and executing the job, a job sell-off process is initiated.

Claims

1. A logical device for dynamically building a computing environment within a grid computing environment, comprising:

an input for receiving a set of job environment requirements from a grid resource allocator, said job environment requirements indicating one or more parameters needed to execute a job in a grid computing environment, said parameters including one or more criteria selected from the group of an operating system, an application program, and a software driver;

a catalog querier for accessing a grid catalog and storage subsystem to determine if one or more needed resources are available which are not currently configured into a job computing environment, said catalog containing one or more indices to available installation images for operating systems, installation programs for application programs, and installation programs for software drivers;

an environment builder configured to select a suitable available hardware platform within said grid computing environment, to receive one or more indices from said catalog, and to perform one or more software installation operations on said hardware platform to create a computing environment matching said job environment requirements.

2. The logical device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a build case evaluator configured to determine if a required computing environment meets certain operational objectives and rules, and if not, configure to prevent said environment builder from building said computing environment.

3. The logical device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said evaluator is configured to evaluate resource activation fees, to calculate total fees incurred if a computing environment is built, and to compare said total fees to a revenue goal.

4. The logical device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said evaluator is configured to evaluate resource activation fees selected from the group of fees for activation of hardware resources, hardware maintenance costs, and licensing fees.

5. The logical device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said evaluator is further configured to initiate a job sell-off process responsive to determination that said total fees comparison to said revenue goal does not meet a pre-determined objective.

6. The logical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said catalog further includes a combined installation image for a bundle containing an operating system and one or more application program.

7. The logical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said parameters further include a maintenance level requirement for an operating system.

8. The logical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said parameters further include a update level requirement for an operating system.

9. A method for dynamically building a computing environment within a grid computing environment, comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of job environment requirements from a grid resource allocator, said job environment requirements indicating one or more parameters needed to execute a job in a grid computing environment, said parameters including one or more criteria selected from the group of an operating system, an application program, and a software driver;

accessing a grid catalog and storage subsystem to determine if one or more needed resources are available which are not currently configured into a job computing environment, said catalog containing one or more indices to available installation images for operating systems, installation programs for application programs, and installation programs for software drivers;

selecting a suitable available hardware platform within said grid computing environment;

receiving one or more indices from said grid catalog; and

performing one or more software installation operations on said selected hardware platform to create a computing environment matching said job environment requirements.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 further comprising determining if a required computing environment meets certain operational objectives and rules, and if not, preventing said installation operations.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of determining if a required computing environment meets operational objectives and rules further comprises evaluating resource activation fees, calculating total fees incurred if a computing environment is built, and comparing said total fees to a revenue goal.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of evaluating resource activation fees comprises evaluating resource activation fees selected from the group of fees for activation of hardware resources, hardware maintenance costs, and licensing fees.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising initiating a job sell-off process responsive to determination that said total fees comparison to said revenue goal does not meet a pre-determined objective.

14. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of receiving one or more indices from said grid catalog comprises receiving at least one index to a combined installation image for a bundle containing an operating system and one or more application program.

15. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of receiving a set of job environment requirements comprises receiving an operating system maintenance level requirement parameter.

16. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of receiving a set ofjob environment requirements comprises receiving an operating system update level requirement parameter.

17. A computer readable medium encoded with software for dynamically building a computing environment within a grid computing environment, said software performing the steps of:

receiving a set of job environment requirements from a grid resource allocator, said job environment requirements indicating one or more parameters needed to execute a job in a grid computing environment, said parameters including one or more criteria selected from the group of an operating system, an application program, and a software driver;

accessing a grid catalog and storage subsystem to determine if one or more needed resources are available which are not currently configured into a job computing environment, said catalog containing one or more indices to available installation images for operating systems, installation programs for application programs, and installation programs for software drivers;

selecting a suitable available hardware platform within said grid computing environment;

receiving one or more indices from said grid catalog; and

performing one or more software installation operations on said selected hardware platform to create a computing environment matching said job environment requirements.

18. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 17 further comprising determining if a required computing environment meets certain operational objectives and rules, and if not, preventing said installation operations.

19. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 18 wherein said software for determining if a required computing environment meets operational objectives and rules further comprises software for evaluating resource activation fees, calculating total fees incurred if a computing environment is built, and comparing said total fees to a revenue goal.

20. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 19 wherein said software for evaluating resource activation fees comprises software for evaluating resource activation fees selected from the group of fees for activation of hardware resources, hardware maintenance costs, and licensing fees.

21. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 19 further comprising software for performing a job sell-off process responsive to determination that said total fees comparison to said revenue goal does not meet a pre-determined objective.

22. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein said software for receiving one or more indices from said grid catalog comprises software for receiving at least one index to a combined installation image for a bundle containing an operating system and one or more application program.

23. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein said software for receiving a set ofjob environment requirements comprises software for receiving an operating system maintenance level requirement parameter.

24. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein said software for receiving a set ofjob environment requirements comprises software for receiving an operating system update level requirement parameter.