| There is a general requirement that resource utilization should be monitored for cost allocation, capacity analysis, dynamic provisioning, grid-service pricing, fraud and intrusion detection, and/or billing. The OGSA platform architecture is defining a common set of interfaces and behaviors for these metering and accounting requirements. One presumption inherent in this architecture approach is the utilization of the CMM (Common Management Model) as a provider for resource performance and utilization information models, this is related directly with the metering and accounting architecture. For example, an operating system resource implemented as a CMM service can provide critical information, including average CPU utilization, I/O activities, file system utilization, interprocess communications, memory buffer utilization, and more. This information is mandatory for determining the metrics for metering and accounting services. Let us now explore the concepts of metering, rating, accounting, and bill payment in the context of the OGSA grid platform environment, and analyze what critical information it provides, and how the OGSA utilizes this information. Metering Service Interface Grid services will oftentimes consume multiple resources, and these resources will often be shared by multiple service instances. We know that most of the current operating systems have metering subsystems for measuring the resource consumption and aggregating their own respective utilization measurements. The OGSA metering service provides access to systems (i.e., operating system and/or system-level software) providing aggregated utilization data (i.e., monitored data). This aggregated data is exposed through a metering service data element. The most common factor affecting this aggregated data is the time window for aggregation (e.g., days, hours, seconds) and may vary between the data producers (i.e., the services) and enforcers (i.e., the administrators, operating systems, etc.). Metering involves the capability to measure the resource consumption in a workflow model executing on widely distributed, loosely coupled servers, storages, and network resources. The OGSA provides these end-to-end metering capabilities involving a number of resources and associated workflows. These measurements are valuable for dynamic resource provisioning and grid pricing. The above OGSA metering explanations are associated with resource consumption, and the metering of that consumption. There is a need to provide aggregated application-level consumption measurement, for example, a service fee for each service invocation across a worldwide enterprise. Metering is Key to the Business On Demand Services Model Metering involves the capability to measure the resource consumption in a workflow model executing on widely distributed, loosely coupled servers, storages, and network resources. This workflow can be directly involved with Business On Demand services (for example) and may be key to the operations of any enterprise. The OGSA provides these end-to-end metering capabilities involving a number of resources and associated workflows. These measurements are valuable for dynamic resource provisioning and grid pricing. |
Rating Service Interface A rating interface is responsible for the following: -
Converting the metered resource information into financial measurements. -
Providing valuable financial information to the business service (i.e., financial advice) including the cost of the components utilized to deliver the service. This helps the service to advertise its estimated cost and usage pricing schemes, and enables customers to make the best economic decision. Accounting Service Interface Accounting services can make use of the rated financial information retrieved through rating services in order to calculate user subscription costs over a specific period of time, per use (i.e., On Demand), or on a monthly basis. This service provides user subscription and account-related information to other services for decision making on user subscription (e.g., suspend, revoke, activate, etc.), bill payment, and other relevant business operational expenses. Billing/Payment Service Interface These services work in collaboration with the accounting service to collect the payments, provide mediation capabilities, and a wide variety of financial interface requirements. Summary As we have described in an earlier chapter, the grid economy is still in its evolutionary stages, and to get successful adoption of Grid Computing environments, we need a grid with a variety of cost models that are based on cost and time models. A best recommendation on the economy of grid can be arrived at only if we can measure the resource utilization in such an environment. To complicate the situation, in a grid environment, these resources may be involving a complicated and complex workflow, involving other resources across one or more virtual organizations. This involves the accurate correlation of resource metrics. The OGSA is working to provide a solution, and common pattern, to these challenges through the above services and interfaces. We can find this information extremely valuable for dynamic provisioning and cost “time analysis features. The value of these services depends on the identification and generation of critical algorithms and data-mining mechanisms utilizing these metrics. The authors of this book welcome any reports of progress in these areas, and other areas being discussed in this book. |
