International Business Machines Corporation

Kavitha Ranganathan

Vijayshankar Raman

Asit Dan

Robert Filepp

Daniela Rosu

The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing a multi-user advance reservation system where reservations are specified in terms of flexible constraints, inflexible constraints and business values. The specification of reservations in this manner allows an entity managing the reservation system to arbitrate among reservations received from a user population with a view toward maximizing business value across the user population. In methods and apparatus of the present invention, penalties and rewards associated with various reservation outcomes can be specified in reservations to assist in business value maximization. In an example, a reservation having a low business value may be declined when there is a significant possibility that a reservation having a high business would be submitted during the pendency of service delivery to the user issuing the reservation with a low business value.

Methods and apparatus for implementing a flexible multi-user advance reservation system where reservation requests are specified in terms of multiple options and where each option has an associated business value

A distributed index for discovering distributed data sources and computing resources based on predicates on attributes is provided. Proposed is a non-altruistic scheme for indexing distributed data, in which nodes are provided with incentives to cooperate in the referencing of data and the routing of search requests for indexed data. Indexed data is mapped to a dynamic routing graph, in which nodes earn credits each time they route a search request. Participatory nodes along a search request traversal continually modify local routing decisions in a manner necessary to maximize profit. Thus, routing paths as a whole are able to dynamically adapt to changing query workloads and access patterns. Dynamic adaptation also occurs by automatic load-balancing of recipients of frequently routed searches, known as 'hot spots', for frequently request data, 'hot items', as a result of an incentive to replicate the indexing strategy of a more profitable node.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Kavitha Ranganathan