System for restricting use of a grid computer by a computing grid

• US 20040210627A1
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Kroening, James L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system is disclosed for restricting operations of a grid software application performing on a grid computer of the computing grid. The system includes a method that presents a user of the grid computer with an option governing use of the grid computer by computing grid operations performed on the grid computer, accepting from the user a setting of options governing use of the grid computer, and applying the setting of the options governing use of the grid computer to the computing grid operations performed on the grid computer.

Claims

1. A method of restricting operations of a computing grid performed on a grid computer of the computing grid, comprising:

presenting a user of the grid computer with an option governing use of the grid computer by computing grid operations performed on the grid computer;

accepting from the user a setting of the option governing use of the grid computer; and

applying the setting of the option governing use of the grid computer to the computing grid operations performed on the grid computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the option governing use includes presenting the user with a parameter of use option governing use of a component of the grid computer for computing grid operations.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a size of files created on a storage medium of the grid computer for performing computing grid operations.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a size of a cache on the grid computer for performing computing grid operations.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on an amount of memory of the grid computer that is usable for performing computing grid operations.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a time period when the grid computer is usable for performing computing grid operations.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on an amount of storage of the grid computer that is usable for performing computing grid operations.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the option governing use includes presenting the user with a policy filter option governing use of the grid computer by grid jobs submitted to the grid computer for computing grid operations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on subject matter of grid jobs that may be performed on the grid computer.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on grid jobs that may be performed on the grid computer based upon an identity of a grid client submitting the grid job to the computing grid.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on downloading of a grid agent application from the computing grid to the grid computer.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on transferring information about the grid computer to the computing grid.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on downloading files to the grid computer by the computing grid.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the setting of the option governing use comprises applying the setting to all grid jobs submitted to the grid computer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the presenting, accepting, and applying steps are conducted by a local manager application resident on the grid computer.

16. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions implementing the following method of restricting operations of a computing grid performed on a grid computer of the computing grid:

presenting a user of the grid computer with an option governing use of the grid computer by computing grid operations performed on the grid computer;

accepting from the user a setting of the option governing use of the grid computer; and

applying the setting of the option governing use of the grid computer to the computing grid operations performed on the grid computer.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein presenting the option governing use includes presenting the user with a parameter of use option governing use of a component of the grid computer for computing grid operations.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a size of files created on a storage medium of the grid computer for performing computing grid operations.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a size of a cache on the grid computer for performing computing grid operations.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on an amount of memory of the grid computer that is usable for performing computing grid operations.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the parameter of use option comprises a limitation on a time period when the grid computer is usable for performing computing grid operations.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein presenting the option governing use includes presenting the user with a policy filter option governing use of the grid computer by grid jobs submitted to the grid computer for computing grid operations.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on subject matter of grid jobs that may be performed on the grid computer.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on grid jobs that may be performed on the grid computer based upon an identity of a grid client submitting the grid job to the computing grid.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the policy filter option comprises a restriction on transferring information about the grid computer to the computing grid.

26. A system for restricting operations of a computing grid performed on a grid computer of the computing grid, comprising:

means for presenting a user of the grid computer with an option governing use of the grid computer by computing grid operations performed on the grid computer;

means for accepting from the user a setting of the option governing use of the grid computer; and

means for applying the setting of the option governing use of the grid computer to the computing grid operations performed on the grid computer.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for presenting the option governing use includes means for presenting the user with a parameter of use option governing use of a component of the grid computer for computing grid operations.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for presenting the option governing use includes means for presenting the user with a policy filter option governing use of the grid computer by grid jobs submitted to the grid computer for computing grid operations.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for presenting, accepting, and applying are embodied in a local manager application resident on the grid computer.