Proxy-Based Cloud Resource Sharing

Recent advances in information technology make remote collaboration and resource sharing easier for next generation distributed systems, such as grids and clouds. One common model of study is the convergence of these systems, along with interclouds to a unified global computing resource. Despite similarities between grids and clouds, there are a number of fundamental differences that make this convergence process harder. For example, they negatively affect the possibility of a seamless intercloud federation on the path to convergence. Resource sharing in general and related communication methodologies, such as information dissemination, matchmaking, and so on, are also integral elements in this convergence process. This article proposes information proxies (i.e., proxies that disseminate information on behalf of a resource, or a collection of resources) to help make available resource state at ´distant´ clouds where there is no direct control.