Scheduling Jobs For Execution On A Computer System

• US 20110055843A1
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Keeton, Kimberly, Gupta, Manish
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues

Abstract

A technique includes determining an order for projects to be performed on a computer system. Each project is associated with multiple job sets, such that any of the job sets may be executed on the computer system to perform the project. The technique includes selecting the projects in a sequence according to the determined order to progressively build a schedule of jobs for execution on the computer system. For each selected project, incorporating one of the associated job sets into the schedule based on a cost of each of the associated job sets.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an order for projects to be performed on a computer system, each project being associated with multiple job sets such that any of the job sets may be executed on the computer system to perform the project; and

selecting the projects in a sequence according to the determined order to progressively build a schedule of jobs for execution on the computer system, comprising for each selected project, incorporating one of the associated job sets into the schedule based on a cost of each of the associated job sets.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each selected project, incorporating each of the associated job sets into the schedule;

evaluating a cost associated with each of the associated job sets; and

selecting the associated job set that corresponds to the lower cost.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the job sets comprises a plurality of jobs, and the act of incorporating each of the associated job sets into the schedule comprises:

for each job of the associated job set, locating a time interval in the schedule in which resources of the computer system are available to begin and complete the job in the time interval.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

allocating the resources to accommodate the job.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the cost comprises a cost that includes one or more of the following cost components:

a start time cost, an alternative cost, and a duration cost.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the order comprises determining the order based on start time costs of the projects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the order comprises performing a metaheuristic technique.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the metaheuristic technique comprises a simulated annealing technique.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the projects comprise data recovery operations, system management operations or cloud computing operations.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a computer; and

a computer-based scheduler executed by the computer to;

identify projects to be executed on a computer system pursuant to a schedule to perform an operation on the computer system;

determine a sequence in which the projects are processed by the scheduler to generate the schedule; and

process the projects according to the sequence to generate the schedule, the processing including, for each project, selecting a job set to be executed to perform the project based on costs associated with the job sets.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scheduler is adapted to:

for each selected project, evaluate costs associated with multiple alternative job sets; and

select the job set from the multiple alternative job sets that corresponds to the lower cost.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the job sets comprises a plurality of jobs, and the scheduler is adapted to:

for each job of the associated job set, locate a time interval in the schedule in which resources of the computer system are available to begin and complete the job in the time interval.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scheduler is adapted to order the projects based on one of a metaheuristic technique and start time costs associated with the projects.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the metaheuristic technique comprises a simulated annealing technique.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the projects comprise data recovery operations, system management operations or cloud computing operations

16. Instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

determine an order for projects to be scheduled on a computer system, each project being associated with multiple job sets such that any of the job sets may be executed by the computer to perform the project; and

select the projects in a sequence according to the determined order to progressively build a schedule of jobs for execution on a computer system, including for each selected project, incorporating one of the associated job sets into the schedule based on a cost of each of the associated job sets.

17. The instructions of claim 16, the storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause the computer to:

for each selected project, incorporate each of the associated job sets into the schedule;

evaluate a cost associated with each of the associated job sets; and

select the associated job set that corresponds to the lower cost.

18. The instructions of claim 16, wherein each of the job sets comprises a plurality of jobs, and the storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause the computer to:

for each job of the associated job set, locating a time interval in the schedule in which resources of the computer system are available to begin and complete the job in the time interval.

19. The instructions of claim 16, the storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause the computer to order the projects based on one of a metaheuristic technique and start time costs associated with the projects.