Combinatorial optimization of multiple resources across a set of cloud-based networks

• US 8,924,539 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferris, James Michael, Riveros, Gerry Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOWA, TIMOTHY JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/953,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5019 Workload prediction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

Embodiments relate to combinatorial optimization of multiple resources across a set of cloud-based networks. In aspects, a set of usage histories can store patterns for users in a host cloud-based network recording the consumption of processor, memory, storage, operating system, application, or other resources subscribed to by the user. The user can be a corporation or other collective user. A deployment engine can identify similar target resources available in a set of target clouds. The engine can receive selection criteria for selecting target clouds for a migration of the user'"'"'s deployment. In the combinatorial selection, each target cloud can independently supply one or more target resources. The engine can thus identify a series of combinations of target resources and target clouds supplying those resources to discover combinations of target clouds and target resources that can satisfy or optimize the selection criteria, such as cost or others.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a hardware processor, a request to provision a set of virtual machines;

accessing, by the hardware processor, a resource usage history comprising a record of historical consumption of a plurality of resources;

determining, by the hardware processor, a set of selection criteria for the set of virtual machines in view of an analysis of the resource usage history;

evaluating, by the hardware processor, a plurality of target resources associated with a set of target resource providers in view of the set of selection criteria;

selecting, by the hardware processor, a first set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider; and

selecting, by the hardware processor, a second set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider, wherein the second set of target resources is selected in view of the selected first set of target resources, wherein the set of virtual machines are to be provisioned to use the first set of target resources and the second set of target resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of resources comprises at least two of processor resources, memory resources, storage resources, bandwidth resources, communications port resources, operating system resources, application resources, or appliance resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of target resource providers comprises a set of target clouds, and wherein the set of selection criteria comprises at least one of a subscription cost, a minimum number of software images to be deployed in the set of target clouds, a maximum number of software images to be deployed in the set of target clouds, an operating system specification, a software application specification, a minimum processor throughput specification, a maximum processor throughput specification, a minimum memory amount specification, a maximum memory amount specification, a minimum storage capacity specification, a maximum storage capacity specification, a minimum bandwidth specification, a maximum bandwidth specification, a minimum set of communications ports specification, a maximum set of communications ports specification, an appliance specification, or a service level agreement specification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the plurality of target resources comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across at least two resource providers of the set of target resource providers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across at least two of the set of target resource providers comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across all resource providers of the set of target resource providers.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the set of target resource providers comprises a set of target clouds, and wherein evaluating a plurality of target resources hosted in the set of target clouds comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds comprises determining a selection score for each of the at least two of the target resources evaluated against the set of selection criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds comprises maximizing the selection score for each of the at least two of the target resources.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the first set of target resources comprises selecting a first set of target clouds for which the selection score for at least one of the target resources is maximized.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting the second set of target resources comprising selecting a second set of target clouds, wherein the second set of target clouds is selected when a selection score for the second set of target resources is within a predetermined range.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for all of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds.

12. A computing device, comprising:

an interface to a data store, the data store to store resource usage history data comprising a record of historical consumption of a plurality of resources;

a memory; and

a hardware processor, coupled to the memory and communicating with the data store via the interface, the hardware processor to;

receive a request to provision a set of virtual machines,

determine a set of selection criteria for the set of virtual machines in view of an analysis of the resource usage history data;

evaluate a plurality of target resources associated with a set of target resource providers in view of the set of selection criteria,

select a first set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider; and

select a second set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider, wherein the second set of target resources is selected in view of the selected first set of target resources, wherein the set of virtual machines are to be provisioned to use the first set of target resources and the second set of target resources.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of resources comprises at least two of processor resources, memory resources, storage resources, bandwidth resources, communications port resources, operating system resources, application resources, or appliance resources.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the set of target resource providers comprises a set of target clouds, and wherein the set of selection criteria comprises at least one of a subscription cost, a minimum number of software images to be deployed in the set of target clouds, a maximum number of software images to be deployed in the set of target clouds, an operating system specification, a software application specification, a minimum processor throughput specification, a maximum processor throughput specification, a minimum memory amount specification, a maximum memory amount specification, a minimum storage capacity specification, a maximum storage capacity specification, a minimum bandwidth specification, a maximum bandwidth specification, a minimum set of communications ports specification, a maximum set of communications ports specification, an appliance specification, or a service level agreement specification.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the set of target resource providers comprises a set of target clouds to host the plurality of target resources, and wherein evaluating the plurality of target resources hosted in the set of target clouds comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across at least two of the set of target clouds comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across all clouds of the set of target clouds.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein evaluating a plurality of target resources hosted in the set of target clouds comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across the at least two clouds of the set of target clouds.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein comparing the set of selection criteria for at least two of the target resources across at least two clouds of the set of target clouds comprises determining a selection score for each of the at least two of the target resources evaluated against the set of selection criteria.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the hardware processor, a request to provision a set of virtual machines;

accessing, by the hardware processor, a resource usage history comprising a record of historical consumption of a plurality of resources;

determining, by the hardware processor, a set of selection criteria for the set of virtual machines in view of an analysis of the resource usage history;

evaluating, by the hardware processor, a plurality of target resources associated with a set of target resource providers in view of the set of selection criteria;

selecting, by the hardware processor, a first set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider; and

selecting, by the hardware processor, a second set of target resources associated with at least one resource provider, wherein the second set of target resources is selected in view of the selected first set of target resources, wherein the set of virtual machines are to be provisioned to use the first set of target resources and the second set of target resources.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein evaluating the plurality of target resources comprises comparing the set of selection criteria for at least one of the target resources across at least two resource providers of the set of target resource providers.