Service Placement on Hosts for a Consumer Based on Their Geographic Location

• US 20140115139A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Croy, Timothy R., Dinger, John E., Duggan, Matthew E., George, Randy, Graham, Trevor, Bradley, Ivor
• Granted Patent: US 10,015,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Techniques are provided for service placement on hosts for a consumer based on geographic location The techniques include: determining a geographical location of a consumer; and inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model including: a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer. The techniques also include: specifying bounding requirements for a host and/or bounding requirements for a path between the consumer to a host; calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer; determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a geographical location of a consumer;

inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model comprising;

a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and

connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer;

specifying one or more bounding requirements for a host and/or for a path between the consumer and a host;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer;

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically re-evaluating a consumer position of a moving consumer and iteratively for the new consumer position;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer;

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

3. The method of claim 2, the further comprising applying a velocity vector to the consumer position such that direction and speed are known to determine a next position of the consumer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising building a distance-ordered list of the ordered candidate hosts for selection of one or more hosts for the consumer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein bounding requirements for a path between the consumer and a host include one or more of the group consisting of:

propagation delay;

serialization delay;

queue delay;

forwarding delay;

available bandwidth;

minimum latency;

round trip time; and

and other link limitations.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a service for a consumer on a host based on the ordered candidate hosts.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling a service for a consumer on a host based on the ordered candidate hosts.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium coupled to the processor; and

logic, stored on the computer-readable storage medium and executed on the processor, for;

determining a geographical location of a consumer;

inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model comprising;

a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and

connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer;

specifying one or more bounding requirements for a host and/or for a path between the consumer and a host;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer,

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the logic further comprising logic for:

periodically re-evaluating a consumer position of a moving consumer and iteratively for the new consumer position;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer;

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the logic further comprising logic for applying a velocity vector to the consumer position such that direction and speed are known to determine a next position of the consumer.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, the logic further comprising logic for building a distance-ordered list of the ordered candidate hosts for selection of one or more hosts for the consumer.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein bounding requirements for a path between the consumer and a host include one or more of the group consisting of:

propagation delay;

serialization delay;

queue delay;

forwarding delay;

available bandwidth;

minimum latency;

round trip time; and

and other link limitations.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, the logic further comprising logic for enabling a service for a consumer on a host based on the ordered candidate hosts.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, the logic further comprising logic for disabling a service for a consumer on a host based on the ordered candidate hosts.

15. A computer programming product, comprising:

a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium; and

logic, stored on the computer-readable storage medium for execution on a processor, for;

determining a geographical location of a consumer;

inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model comprising;

a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and

connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer;

specifying one or more bounding requirements for a host and/or for a path between the consumer and a host;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer;

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

16. The computer programming product of claim 15, the logic further comprising logic for:

periodically re-evaluating a consumer position of a moving consumer and iteratively for the new consumer position;

calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer;

determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and

ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.

17. The computer programming product of claim 16, the logic further comprising logic for applying a velocity vector to the consumer position such that direction and speed are known to determine a next position of the consumer.

18. The computer programming product of claim 15, the logic further comprising logic for building a distance-ordered list of the ordered candidate hosts for selection of one or more hosts for the consumer.

19. The computer programming product of claim 15, wherein bounding requirements for a path between the consumer and a host include one or more of the group consisting of:

propagation delay;

serialization delay;

queue delay;

forwarding delay;

available bandwidth;

minimum latency;

round trip time; and

and other link limitations.

20. The computer programming product of claim 15, the logic further comprising logic for enabling a service for a consumer on a host based on the ordered candidate hosts.