Title: Batch mode scheduling in grid systems

Authors: Fatos Xhafa, Leonard Barolli, Arjan Durresi

Addresses: Department of Languages and Informatics Systems, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Campus Nord, Ed. Omega, C/Jordi Girona 1–3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. ' Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Information Engineering, Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT), 3–30–1 Wajiro-higashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 811–0295, Japan. ' Department of Computer Science, Louisiana State University, 298 Coates Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA

Abstract: Despite recent advances, grid and P2P systems remain difficult for many users to bring to real-world applications. One difficulty is the lack of schedulers for such systems. In this work, we consider the allocations of jobs to resources using batch mode methods. These methods are able to provide fast planning by exploring characteristics of distributed and highly heterogeneous systems. In evaluating these methods, four parameters of the system are measured: makespan, flowtime, resource utilisation and matching proximity. These methods were tested using the benchmark model of Braun et al. (2001) for distributed heterogeneous systems. Based on the computational results, we evaluate the performance of these methods with regard to the four considered metrics. Also, we evaluate the usefulness of batch methods when grid characteristics, such as degree of consistency of computing and heterogeneity of jobs and resources, are known in advance. We observe that batch mode methods are beneficial to grid scheduling services, for adaptively providing these services according to the grid infrastructure characteristics.

Keywords: batch mode; grid scheduling; computational grids; ETC simulation modelling; resource allocation; adaptive scheduling; grid services; makespan; flowtime; resource utilisation; matching proximity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWGS.2007.012635

International Journal of Web and Grid Services, 2007 Vol.3 No.1, pp.19 - 37

Published online: 01 Mar 2007 *

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