Resource management in heterogeneous computing systems with tasks of varying importance

2014 Summer.The problem of efficiently assigning tasks to machines in heterogeneous computing environments where different tasks can have different levels of importance (or value) to the computing system is a challenging one. The goal of this work is to study this problem in a variety of environments. One part of the study considers a computing system and its corresponding workload based on the expectations for future environments of Department of Energy and Department of Defense interest. We design heuristics to maximize a performance metric created using utility functions. We also create a framework to analyze the trade-offs between performance and energy consumption. We design techniques to maximize performance in a dynamic environment that has a constraint on the energy consumption. Another part of the study explores environments that have uncertainty in the availability of the compute resources. For this part, we design heuristics and compare their performance in different types of environments

Performance-aware task scheduling in multi-core computers

Multi-core systems become more and more popular as they can satisfy the increasing computation capacity requirements of complex applications. Task scheduling strategy plays a key role in this vision and ensures that the task processing is both Quality-of-Service (QoS, in this thesis, refers to deadline) satisfied and energy-efficient. In this thesis, we develop task scheduling strategies for multi-core computing systems. We start by looking at two objectives of a multi-core computing system. The first objective aims at ensuring all tasks can satisfy their time constraints (i.e. deadline), while the second strives to minimize the overall energy consumption of the platform. We develop three power-aware scheduling strategies in virtualized systems managed by Xen. Comparing with the original scheduling strategy in Xen, these scheduling algorithms are able to reduce energy consumption without reducing the performance for the jobs. Then, we find that modelling the makespan of a task (before execution) accurately is very important for making scheduling decisions. Our studies show that the discrepancy between the assumption of (commonly used) sequential execution and the reality of time sharing execution may lead to inaccurate calculation of the task makespan. Thus, we investigate the impact of the time sharing execution on the task makespan, and propose the method to model and determine the makespan with the time-sharing execution. Thereafter, we extend our work to a more complex scenario: scheduling DAG applications for time sharing systems. Based on our time-sharing makespan model, we further develop the scheduling strategies for DAG jobs in time-sharing execution, which achieves more effective at task execution. Finally, as the resource interference also makes a big difference to the performance of co-running tasks in multi-core computers (which may further influence the scheduling decision making), we investigate the influential factors that impact on the performance when the tasks ii are co-running on a multicore computer and propose the machine learning-based prediction frameworks to predict the performance of the co-running tasks. The experimental results show that the techniques proposed in this thesis is effective

SLA Violation Detection Model and SLA Assured Service Brokering (SLaB) in Multi-Cloud Architecture

Cloud brokering facilitates CSUs to find cloud services according to their requirements. In the current practice, CSUs or Cloud Service Brokers (CSBs) select cloud services according to SLA committed by CSPs in their website. In our observation, it is found that most of the CSPs do not fulfill the service commitment mentioned in the SLA agreement. Verified cloud service performances against their SLA commitment of CSPs provide an additional trust on CSBs to recommend services to the CSUs. In this thesis work, we propose a SLA assured service-brokering framework, which considers both committed and delivered SLA by CSPs in cloud service recommendation to the users. For the evaluation of the performance of CSPs, two evaluation techniques: Heat Map and IFL are proposed, which include both directly measurable and non-measurable parameters in the performance evaluation CSPs. These two techniques are implemented using real data measured from CSPs. The result shows that Heat Map technique is more transparent and consistent in CSP performance evaluation than IFL technique. In this work, regulatory compliance of the CSPs is also analyzed and visualized in performance heat map table to provide legal status of CSPs. Moreover, missing points in their terms of service and SLA document are analyzed and recommended to add in the contract document. In the revised European GPDR, DPIA is going to be mandatory for all organizations/tools. The decision recommendation tool developed using above mentioned evaluation techniques may cause potential harm to individuals in assessing data from multiple CSPs. So, DPIA is carried out to assess the potential harm/risks to individuals due to our tool and necessary precaution to be taken in the tool to minimize possible data privacy risks. It also analyzes the service pattern and future performance behavior of CSPs to help CSUs in decision making to select appropriate CSP

The Effect of Anger Management and Communication Training on Functional and Quality-of-Life Status in Fibromyalgia Patients

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a debilitating condition that affects millions of individuals throughout the world. As of yet the specific etiology of this condition remains unknown and successful treatments remain in their infancy. Although several studies have focused on the emotional components of fibromyalgia, none have specifically addressed the issues of communication and anger that appear to be important among this patient population. The objectives of this study were to design a 4-week experimental group therapy treatment based on successful cognitive behavioral components and add anger management and communication components in an attempt to increase benefits to the overall well-being of patients. Subjects were 46 fibromyalgia patients recruited from physicians, chiropractors, and physical therapists as well as through newspaper, radio, and advertising through flyers. Patients who were accepted into the study were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a wait-list control group, with the control group receiving the treatment in the month following the treatment group. Outcomes were assessed using a repeated measures analysis of variance with one within (time) and one-between subjects (group) factor. The five assessment measures utilized in this study were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Version 2, the Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Survey (CPSS), the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory- 2 (ST AXI-2) and a communication inventory developed specifically for this intervention. Specific outcomes measured included change on fibromyalgia-specific symptoms and physical and emotional health-related status, improvement in communication, change in anger scores, and changes in levels of self-efficacy. Analysis of patient outcome data revealed that significant results were achieved in the areas of mental health and communication variables . In addition, several notable effect sizes were also found, particularly in the areas of vitality (-.97), mental health (-.76) and pain management (-1.17). Results demonstrated that a brief, cost-effective 4-week intervention can have a beneficial impact for FMS patients in the area of psychological function. Implications of these findings are discussed within the context of the existing literature on fibromyalgia treatment as well as in terms of possible limitations of the study as it was conducted

The application of software product line engineering to energy management in the cloud and in virtualised environments

Modern software is created from components which can often perform a large number of tasks. For a given task, often there are many variations of components that can be used. As a result, software with comparable functionality can often be produced from a variety of components. The choice of software components influences the energy consumption. A popular method of software reuse with the components' setting selection is Software Product Line (SPL). Even though SPL has been used to investigate the energy related to the combination of software components, there has been no in depth study of how to measure the consumption of energy from a configuration of components and the extent to which the components contribute to energy usage. This thesis investigates how software components' diversity affects energy consumption in virtualised environments and it presents a method of identifying combinations of components that consume less energy. This work gives insight into the cultivation of the green software components by identifying which components influence the total consumption of energy. Furthermore, the thesis investigates how to use component diversity in a dynamic form in the direction of managing the consumption of energy as the demand on the system changes

Minutes of a Regular Meeting, The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, January 27, 2004

28899-2895

SOSAD (Save our Son and Daughters) A preliminary study of a unique self-help group and grass-roots movement

This is an ethnographic study of SOSAD (Save Our Sons And Daughters), which is a Detroit-based, self-help organization of parents and relatives whose children have been killed by other children. This organization formed through the collective effort of a group of parents led by Ms. Clementine Barfield whose son was killed in Detroit. The organization has the following objectives: a) Providing a support group for the parents whose children are killed. b) Actions to increase awareness of the problem and to create programmes aimed toward prevention of crime and the protection of the community. c) Lobbying for legislation to prevent the sale and use of guns, particularly handguns. This research describes the history and formation of SOSAD and attempts to assess the ways in which SOSAD members construct their definitions of the problem of kids killing kids , as well as their perspectives on the causes and solutions. It includes an assessment of the organization\u27s potential and it\u27s dual role as a self-help group and national grass-roots movement. This research includes a profile of the child and youth killings and patterns of killing for the years 1984-\u2788. A comparision of SOSAD with similar organizations in the war zones in Los Angeles, Washington and Chicago is included along with a review of children in war in different parts of the world. This research mainly focusses on SOSAD and it\u27s formation and on the processes and activities, which help it achieve the goal of curbing the problem of children killing children. A Symbolic Interaction perspective is adopted by this research. A qualitative methodology of participant observation and interactive interviews is utilised to obtain data about the organization. The conclusions drawn from the research are the following: a) SOSAD has an impact on the community. The organization has effectively raised the consciousness of the community regarding the problem. b) It\u27s role as a counsellor and a support group helps the parents alleviate their grief. c) It voices the community\u27s anguish against the increasing availability of drugs and guns. d) There are similar organizations which, like SOSAD, fight the problem of children killing children in some of the major cities of United States. SOSAD has acquired a position of organizations. leadership and the respect of the other This research involved the study of the organization, SOSAD, which began as self-help group and is now a nationally recognised national movement

In Re SRBA Case No. 39576 Subase No. 37-00864 Clerk\u27s Record Dckt. 44716

https://digitalcommons.law.uidaho.edu/idaho_supreme_court_record_briefs/8087/thumbnail.jp