Metering resource usage in a cloud computing environment

• US 9,129,052 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brookbanks, Michael D., Coffey, Brendan F., Dawson, Christopher J., Nellutla, Thirumal, Patterson, Robert C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/630,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

An approach that provides assigning and tracking inter-Cloud operational transactions within a Cloud computing environment in order to meter Cloud resource usage when processing a Cloud service request. In one embodiment, there is a Cloud usage and accounting tool, including a route management component configured to define and manage the physical implementation of delineation points between Clouds. The Cloud usage and accounting tool further includes a workflow control component configured to track inter-Cloud operational transactions as they pass through the delineation points.

Claims

1. A method for metering usage of a plurality of cloud resources in a cloud computing environment when processing a cloud service request, comprising:

defining the physical implementation of delineation points on each cloud of a plurality of clouds in the environment, each of the delineation points comprising a network-type barrier that forms an entry point on a communication path to an associated one of the plurality of clouds for communications from another of the plurality of clouds;

assigning each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions to a set of delineation points for entry to and exit from a cloud, wherein the each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions is a transaction that utilizes cloud services of an originating cloud and is transferred by the originating cloud to a receiving cloud, and wherein every operational transaction that is transferred from the originating cloud to the receiving cloud passes through a delineation point associated with the originating cloud and through a delineation point associated with the receiving cloud;

tracking, by a delineation point for entry, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for entry entering a cloud;

tracking, by a delineation point for exit, each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for exit exiting a cloud;

maintaining a transaction ledger in each of the plurality of clouds;

calculating an amount of time each of the plurality of operational transactions was within each of the plurality of clouds; and

storing the amount of time in the respective transaction ledger.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

accessing a routes registry in each of the plurality of clouds, the routes registry containing information on the state of each delineation point of the respective cloud; and

monitoring the state of each delineation point of each of the plurality of clouds;

updating the respective routes registry when the state of at least one delineation point changes.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

blocking routes into each of the plurality of clouds not having at least one delineation point; and

storing blocked routes data in the respective routes registry.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising accessing a services registry in each of the plurality of clouds, the services registry containing availability and resources of each of the plurality of clouds.

5. The method according to method according to claim 4 further comprising:

accessing availability and resources data from the services registry;

accessing routing data from a routes registry; and

routing the operational transaction along an available route based on at least one of the availability and resources data or the routing data.

6. The method according to claim 5 further maintaining a cloud terms registry, the cloud terms registry containing usage rates for each of the plurality of clouds.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

accessing cloud usage fee rates from the cloud terms registry;

accessing the amount of time within each cloud from the transaction ledger of each of the plurality of clouds for all transactions associated with a service request; and

calculating a cloud usage fee for processing the service request using data.

8. A Cloud usage and accounting tool for metering cloud resource usage in a Cloud computing environment, comprising:

a memory medium comprising instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a central processing unit coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the Cloud usage and accounting tool to;

define the physical implementation of delineation points on each cloud of a plurality of clouds in the environment, each of the delineation points comprising a network-type barrier that forms an entry point on a communication path to an associated one of the plurality of clouds for communications from another of the plurality of clouds; and

wherein every operational transaction that is transferred from the originating cloud to the receiving cloud passes through a delineation point associated with the originating cloud and through a delineation point associated with the receiving cloud;

assign each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions to a set of delineation points for entry to and exit from a cloud, wherein the each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions is a transaction that utilizes cloud services of an originating cloud and is transferred by the originating cloud to a receiving cloud;

track, by a delineation point for entry, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for entry entering the cloud;

track, by a delineation point for exit, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for exit exiting the cloud;

maintain a transaction ledger in the cloud;

calculate amount of time each of the plurality of operational transactions was within the cloud; and

store the amount of time in the transaction ledger.

9. The Cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 8 being further caused to maintain a routes registry in the cloud, the routes registry containing information on the state of each delineation point of the cloud;

and

monitor the state of each delineation point of the cloud;

updating the routes registry when the state of at least one delineation point changes.

10. The Cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 9 being further caused to block routes into the cloud not containing at least one delineation point;

and store information relating to blocked routes in the routes registry.

11. The cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 8 being further caused to access a services registry, the services registry containing availability and resources of each of the plurality of clouds.

12. The cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 11 being further caused to access availability and resources data from the services registry;

access routing data from a routes registry; and

route operational transaction along an available route based on at least one of the availability and resources data or the routing data.

13. The cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 12 being further caused to access a cloud terms registry, the cloud terms registry containing usage rates for the cloud.

14. The cloud usage and accounting tool according to claim 13 being further caused to access cloud usage fee rates from the cloud terms registry;

access the amount of time within the cloud from the transaction ledger of the cloud; and

calculate a cloud usage fee based on the data.

15. A computer-readable storage device storing computer instructions, which when executed, enables a computer system to meter usage of a plurality of cloud resources in a cloud computing environment when processing a cloud service request, comprising:

define the physical implementation of delineation points on each cloud of a plurality of clouds in the environment, each of the delineation points comprising a network-type barrier that forms an entry point on a communication path to an associated one of the plurality of clouds for communications from another of the plurality of clouds, and wherein every operational transaction that is transferred from the originating cloud to the receiving cloud passes through a delineation point associated with the originating cloud and through a delineation point associated with the receiving cloud;

assign each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions to a set of delineation points for entry to and exit from a cloud, wherein the each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions is a transaction that utilizes cloud services of an originating cloud and is transferred by the originating cloud to a receiving cloud;

track, by a delineation point for entry, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for entry entering the cloud;

track, by a delineation point for exit, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for exit exiting the cloud;

maintain a transaction ledger in the cloud;

calculate amount of time each of the plurality of operational transactions was within the cloud; and

store the amount of time in the transaction ledger.

16. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to maintain a routes registry, the routes registry containing information on the state of each delineation point of the cloud;

and monitor the state of each delineation point of each of the plurality of clouds;

updating the routes registry when the state of at least one delineation point changes.

17. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 16, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to block routes into the cloud not containing at least one delineation point;

and store information relating to blocked routes in the routes registry.

18. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to maintain a services registry, the services registry containing information relating to the availability and resources of each of the plurality of clouds.

19. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 18, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to access availability and resources data from the services registry;

access routing data from a routes registry; and

routing the operational transaction along an available route based on the based on at least one of the availability and resources data or the routing data data.

20. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 19, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to maintain a cloud terms registry, the cloud terms registry containing usage rates for the cloud.

21. The computer readable storage device containing the program product of claim 20, the computer readable storage device further comprising program code for causing the computer system to access cloud usage rates from the cloud terms registry;

access the amount of time within the cloud from the transaction ledger; and

calculate a cloud usage fee based on the data.

22. A method for deploying a system for metering cloud resource usage in a Cloud computing environment, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

define the physical implementation of delineation points on each cloud of a plurality of clouds in the environment, each of the delineation points comprising a network-type barrier that forms an entry point on a communication path to an associated one of the plurality of clouds for communications from another of the plurality of clouds;

assigning each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions to a set of delineation points for entry to and exit from a cloud, wherein the each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions is a transaction that utilizes cloud services of an originating cloud and is transferred by the originating cloud to a receiving cloud, and wherein every operational transaction that is transferred from the originating cloud to the receiving cloud passes through a delineation point associated with the originating cloud and through a delineation point associated with the receiving cloud;

track, by a delineation point for entry, each of a plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for entry entering the cloud;

track, by a delineation point for exit, each of the plurality of inter-cloud operational transactions as each transaction passes through the delineation point for exit exiting the cloud;

maintain a transaction ledger;

calculate amount of time each of the plurality of operational transactions was within the cloud; and

store the amount of time in the transaction ledger.