International Business Machines Corporation

Baruch M Schieber

Maxim I Sviridenko

Jayram S Thathachar

Tracy Jay Kimbrel

Robert Krauthgamer

Maria Minkoff

Gregory Bret Sorkin

David Paul Williamson

Mark O Carey, Iii

Geraldine M Preston

Mariusz A Fus

Robert Krauthgarner

A benefit task system implements a policy for allocating resources to yield some benefit. The method implemented may be applied to a variety of problems, and the benefit may be either tangible (e.g., profit) or intangible (e.g., customer satisfaction). In one example, the method is applied to server allocation in a Web site server 'farm' given full information regarding future loads to maximize profits for the Web hosting service provider. In another example, the method is applied to the allocation of telephone help in a way to improve customer satisfaction. In yet another example, the method is applied to distributed computing problem where the resources to be allocated are general purpose computers connected in a network and used to solve computationally intensive problems. Solution of the Web server 'farm' problem is based on information regarding future loads to achieve close to the greatest possible revenue based on the assumption that revenue is proportional to the utilization of servers and differentiated by customer class. The method of server allocation uses an approach which reduces the Web server farm problem to a minimum-cost network flow problem, which can be solved in polynomial time. Similar solutions are applicable to other resource allocation problems.

Dynamic resource allocation using known future benefits

A method for server allocation in a Web server 'farm' is based on limited information regarding future loads to achieve close to the greatest possible revenue based on the assumption that revenue is proportional to the utilization of servers and differentiated by customer class. The method of server allocation uses an approach of 'discounting the future'. Specifically, when the policy faces the choice between a guaranteed benefit immediately and a potential benefit in the future, the decision is made by comparing the guaranteed benefit value with a discounted value of the potential future benefit. This discount factor is exponential in the number of time units that it would take a potential benefit to be materialized. The future benefits are discounted because by the time a benefit will be materialized, things might change and the algorithm might decide to make another choice for a potential (even greater) benefit.

Dynamic resource allocation using projected future benefits

A system and a method is disclosed for scheduling mobile agents. The system includes a dispatcher and at least one data processor that embodies a scheduling engine. A transceiver is coupled to the dispatcher for performing two-way communication with mobile agents through mobile agent transceivers. The dispatcher is responsive to a reception of a message or signal that is transmitted from a mobile agent for entering the received signal into the scheduling engine. The scheduling engine is responsive to an occurrence of a triggering event and to signals received from mobile agents for recomputing a schedule of activities for a plurality of the mobile agents, and for causing information descriptive of the recomputed schedule to be selectively transmitted to none, one, or more than one of the mobile agents through the transceiver. The two-way communication can use radio devices capable of entering and displaying text messages. A signal transmitted from the mobile agent may include information for specifying, by example, that the mobile agent has arrived at the location of a next scheduled activity; or that the mobile agent has completed a scheduled activity; or that the mobile agent has failed to complete a scheduled activity; or that the mobile agent is extending a duration of a currently scheduled activity beyond the time scheduled for the termination of the current activity; or that the mobile agent lacks one or more resources needed to complete a current activity; or that the mobile agent lacks one or more skills needed to complete the current activity.

Method and apparatus for scheduling mobile agents utilizing rapid two-way communication

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White Plains, NY, United States of America

Baruch M Schieber