Multi-agent systems scheduler and open grid computing standards
Date
2000Author
Opiyo, Elisha T. O.
Ayienga, Erick
Getao, Katherine
Manderick, Bernard
Okello-Odongo, William
Nowé, Ann
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Grid computers are integrated environments of software and hardware that are inter-connected and allow
sharing of computing resources. A user of a grid computer has the impression of working with a single
powerful computer. The development and realization of grid computers still remains a challenging task.
This challenge is biased towards a scheduling task problem in a dynamic setting. We approach this
complex problem by using multi-agent systems. In this paper we examine the nature of the scheduling
problem in grid computing domain and show that it is an on demand decentralized resource allocation
problem. We outline our model of a scheduler that is based on multi-agent systems. We highlight the
interactions between agents and rely on Vickrey auction mechanism for a decentralized truth revealing
strategy. We give an overview of open grid computing standards, from Global Grid Forum. We use these
open grid computing standards to briefly critique our model, pointing out the similarities and differences.
Our contributions in this paper include our proposed scheduling model based on multi-agent systems. We
have also reviewed some market based approaches to the resource allocation problem for decentralized
contexts. We note that increased reliance on agents and Web-services may one day lead to a situation
where the grid computer is the Internet and the Internet is the grid computer.
Publisher
School of Computing and Informatics