Unified Resource Domain for Cluster Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current resource management systems lack flexibility in managing multiple resources as a single unit, particularly in cluster computing environments, leading to inefficiencies and limitations in load-balancing and service provisioning due to coarse-grained management and mono-resource focus.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a resource management policy that combines different types of resources, such as file system and network traffic, into a single resource domain, allowing for granular control and monitoring of aggregate consumption across a cluster, enabling more abstract and flexible resource management policies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If different types of resources (e.g., file system traffic and network traffic) are managed separately, then each resource can be monitored individually, but the system lacks flexibility and cannot manage multiple resources as a single unified resource

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource management flexibilityVSAvoidresource management structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple different resource types (e.g., file system traffic and network traffic) into a single unified resource domain. This allows the system to manage heterogeneous resources as one aggregate resource, enabling flexible policy expression while maintaining individual resource monitoring capabilities through the unified domain structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If resource management uses coarse-grained control (e.g., managing CPU time by number of processors), then implementation is simpler, but it leads to inefficiencies in dynamic cluster environments with varying resource needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidresource management granularity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments resource management into hierarchical levels: unified resource domains provide coarse-grained control for overall management, while individual resource monitoring provides fine-grained visibility. This segmentation enables efficient aggregate control without sacrificing detailed oversight, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If resource management policies are limited to single resource types, then policy expression is simpler, but it restricts load-balancing and service provisioning capabilities in cluster environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy expression capabilityVSAvoidpolicy management structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal resource domain structure that can accommodate multiple different resource types within a single policy framework. This universal domain enables flexible policy expression for load-balancing and service provisioning across heterogeneous resources while maintaining a consistent management interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8973008B2Combining different resource types

Publication Date: 2015.03.03 SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC

AI summary

Combining different resource types into a single logical resource can provide a perspective more suitable for managing a given computer program. Resources of different types that have similar characteristics are combined as a single resource type. Resource management policies are applied against the different resource types via the single combination resource type, wherein on a single computer or applied against a cluster of computers.