Dynamic grid job distribution from any resource within a grid environment

• US 20060048157A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Joseph, Joshy, Fellenstein, Craig W.
• Application Number:
  US10/850,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048157A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

A method, system, and program for dynamic grid job distribution from any resource within a grid environment. Multiple resources enabled to handle grid jobs are connected via at least one network within a grid environment. Each of the multiple resources is enabled to distribute an availability and ability to handle grid jobs within the grid environment. Each of the multiple resources is also enabled to access the availability and ability to handle grid jobs of all of the other resources within the grid environment. The distribution of and access to current information may be organized as a hierarchical resource directory system or as a peer-to-peer resource distribution system. Further, resources within the grid environment are also enabled to receive a grid job and a job object, as a receiving resource. The job object received at a receiving resource describes at least one requirement for the grid job submitted to the receiving resource. The receiving resource determines the most suitable resource to handle the job from among the grid resources, wherein the ability to handle grid jobs by the most suitable resource meets the at least one requirement for the grid job and the most suitable resource indicates an availability to receive the grid job. The receiving resource then controls submission of the job to the most suitable resource for handling the job.

Claims

1. A job distribution system within a grid environment, comprising:

a plurality of resources connected within a grid environment, wherein each of said plurality of resources is enabled to handle grid jobs;

each of said plurality of resources further comprising;

means for distributing an availability status to handle grid jobs within said grid environment;

means for accessing said availability status of all of said plurality of resources within said grid environment;

means for receiving a job object describing at least one requirement for a grid job submitted to a receiving resource from among said plurality of resources;

means for determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said most suitable resource meets said at least one requirement for said job and said availability status indicates availability to handle said job; and

means for controlling submission of said job from said receiving resource to said most suitable resource for handling said job.

2. The job distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said means for distributing an availability status to handle grid jobs within said grid environment further comprises:

means for distributing a node description message to a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources and a parent resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said node description message specifies said availability status, wherein said parent resource distributes said node description message to a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resource and a second parent resource from among said plurality of resources.

3. The job distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said means for distributing an availability status to handle grid jobs within said grid environment further comprises:

a local resource directory for maintaining a current availability of a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources, wherein said local resource directory is one from among a plurality of resource directories through which said availability status of all said plurality of resources is managed; and

said selection of local resources further comprising means for updating said local resource directory with said availability status of each of said selection of local resources.

4. The job distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said means for accessing said availability status of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment, further comprises:

means for receiving and storing a plurality of node description messages at said receiving resource, wherein each of said plurality of node description messages indicates said availability status of one from among a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources; and

means for accessing said availability status for a remainder of resources from among said other plurality of resources through a parent node, wherein said parent node accesses a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resource and a second parent node from among said plurality of resources.

5. The job distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said means for accessing said availability status of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment, further comprises:

means for requesting said availability status of a selection of local resources from a local resource directory, wherein said local resource directory receives messages indicating said availability status from said selection of local resources, wherein said local resource directory is one of a plurality of resource directories linked in a hierarchy.

6. The job distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources further comprises:

means for searching a first selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource, wherein said first selection of local resources are within a first geographic proximity of said receiving resource; and

means for only searching a next selection of resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource if said first selection of local resources is insufficient for said job, wherein said next selection of resources are within a second geographic proximity of said receiving resource.

7. A method for job distribution from any of a plurality of resources within a grid environment, comprising:

enabling a plurality of resources connected within a grid environment to handle grid jobs;

distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status of each of said plurality of resources to handle grid jobs within said grid environment;

enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment;

receiving a job object describing at least one requirement for a grid job submitted to a receiving resource from among said plurality of resources;

determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said most suitable resource meets said at least one requirement for said job and said availability status indicates availability to handle said job; and

controlling submission of said job from said receiving resource to said most suitable resource for handling said job, such that job distribution from any resource receiving a job object is accomplished without a centralized job scheduler.

8. The method for job distribution according to claim 7, wherein distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status further comprises:

distributing a node description message to a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources and a parent resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said node description message specifies said availability status, wherein said parent resource receives node description messages from a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources and distributes job objects to a second parent resource from among said plurality of resources.

9. The method for job distribution according to claim 7, wherein distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status further comprises:

maintaining a current availability of a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources at a local resource directory, wherein said local resource directory is one from among a plurality of resource directories through which said availability status of all said plurality of resources is managed; and

updating, from each of said selection of local resources, said local resource directory with said availability status of each of said selection of local resources.

10. The method for job distribution according to claim 7, wherein enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment further comprises:

receiving and storing a plurality of node description messages at said receiving resource, wherein each of said plurality of node description messages indicates said availability status of one from among a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources; and

accessing said availability status for a remainder of resources from among said other plurality of resources through a parent node, wherein said parent node accesses a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resource and a second parent node from among said plurality of resources.

11. The method for job distribution according to claim 7, wherein enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment further comprises:

requesting said availability status of a selection of local resources from a local resource directory, wherein said local resource directory receives messages indicating said availability status from said selection of local resources, wherein said local resource directory is one of a plurality of resource directories linked in a hierarchy.

12. The method for job distribution according to claim 7, wherein determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources further comprises:

searching a first selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource, wherein said first selection of local resources are within a first geographic proximity of said receiving resource; and

only searching a next selection of resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource if said first selection of local resources is insufficient for said job, wherein said next selection of resources are within a second geographic proximity of said receiving resource.

13. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for job distribution from any of a plurality of resources within a grid environment, said computer readable medium comprising:

means for enabling a plurality of resources connected within a grid environment to handle grid jobs;

means for distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status of each of said plurality of resources to handle grid jobs within said grid environment;

means for enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment;

means for receiving a job object describing at least one requirement for a grid job submitted to a receiving resource from among said plurality of resources;

means for determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said most suitable resource meets said at least one requirement for said job and said availability status indicates availability to handle said job; and

means for controlling submission of said job from said receiving resource to said most suitable resource for handling said job, such that job distribution from any resource receiving a job object is accomplished without a centralized job scheduler.

14. The computer program product for job distribution according to claim 13, wherein said means for distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status further comprises:

means for distributing a node description message to a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources and a parent resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said node description message specifies said availability status, wherein said parent resource receives node description messages from a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources and distributes job objects to a second parent resource from among said plurality of resources.

15. The computer program product for job distribution according to claim 13, wherein said means for distributing, from each of said plurality of resources, an availability status further comprises:

means for maintaining a current availability of a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources at a local resource directory, wherein said local resource directory is one from among a plurality of resource directories through which said availability status of all said plurality of resources is managed; and

means for updating, from each of said selection of local resources, said local resource directory with said availability status of each of said selection of local resources.

16. The computer program product for job distribution according to claim 13, wherein said means for enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment further comprises:

means for receiving and storing a plurality of node description messages at said receiving resource, wherein each of said plurality of node description messages indicates said availability status of one from among a selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources; and

means for accessing said availability status for a remainder of resources from among said other plurality of resources through a parent node, wherein said parent node accesses a second selection of local resources from among said plurality of resource and a second parent node from among said plurality of resources.

17. The computer program product for job distribution according to claim 13, wherein said means for enabling each of said plurality of resource to access said availability status for of all of said other plurality of resources within said grid environment further comprises:

means for requesting said availability status of a selection of local resources from a local resource directory, wherein said local resource directory receives messages indicating said availability status from said selection of local resources, wherein said local resource directory is one of a plurality of resource directories linked in a hierarchy.

18. The computer program product for job distribution according to claim 13, wherein said means for determining a most suitable resource from among said plurality of resources further comprises:

means for searching a first selection of local resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource, wherein said first selection of local resources are within a first geographic proximity of said receiving resource; and

means for only searching a next selection of resources from among said plurality of resources for said most suitable resource if said first selection of local resources is insufficient for said job, wherein said next selection of resources are within a second geographic proximity of said receiving resource.

19. A hierarchical job distribution system within a grid environment, comprising:

a plurality of resources within a grid environment;

a plurality of resource directories, wherein each of said plurality of resource directories maintains said availability and at least one characteristic of each of a selection of said plurality of resources, wherein said plurality of resource directories are hierarchically arranged; and

a job submitted to a receiving resource from among said plurality of resources, wherein said receiving resource requests of said selection of said plurality of resources from a particular resource directory accessible to said receiving resource, wherein said receiving resource determines whether any of said selection of said plurality of resources is enabled to handle said job, wherein responsive to said selection of said plurality of resources not being enabled to handle said job said receiving resource requests an address of another resource directory from said particular resource directory, wherein said receiving resource requests said availability of a second selection of said plurality of resources.

20. The hierarchical job distribution system of claim 19 wherein any of said plurality of resources is enabled to act as said receiving resource.

21. The hierarchical job distribution system of claim 19 wherein said job is submitted with a job object, wherein said job object describes at least one requirement for said job.

22. A peer-to-peer job distribution system within a grid environment, comprising:

a plurality of resources within a grid environment; and

each of said plurality of resources further comprising;

means for distributing an availability message to a selection of local resources and a parent resource;

means for receiving and storing said availability messages from local resources and parent resources;

means for receiving a job object describing at least one requirement for a grid job submitted to one of said plurality of resources;

means for determining a most suitable resource meeting said at least one requirement for said grid job based on said stored availability messages; and

means for controlling submission of said job from said one of said plurality of resources determining said most suitable resource to said most suitable resource.