ABC: Adaptive Brokerage for the Cloud

Lead Research Organisation: Lancaster University
Department Name: Computing & Communications

Abstract

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Description We have carried out a systematic survey of the state of the art on cloud brokerage, identifying the different approaches and techniques used and the shortcomings thereof. This study has helped us build a foundational understanding that will be very important going forwards. We have then designed a basic framework for an adaptive cloud broker. Next, we developed a modelling language to be used for the specification of cloud SLOs (Service Level Objectives). All these findings and other minor ones have been published as papers.
Exploitation Route Based on our investigation and reflection, we have identified a number of future avenues in the field of cloud brokerage, namely: Customer Assistance, Adaptive and Fluid Deployment, and Intelligent Decision Making. These areas need more work by the community, and we clarify exactly how and why in each case.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)
 
Description Through engaging with our industrial partners, we have improved the way they use cloud resources. This has improved their DevOps processes and increased their productivity. Specifically, we have helped our partners to optimise their cloud infrastructure, automate their deployment processes, and improve their monitoring and logging capabilities. These improvements have enabled our partners to deliver their products and services more quickly and efficiently, while also reducing their costs and improving their developer satisfaction.
First Year Of Impact 2021
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)
Impact Types Economic
 
Description ABC: Adaptive Brokerage for the Cloud
Amount £117,047 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/R010889/2 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2021 
End 03/2022
 
Description Extension of the SLO-ML work 
Organisation Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Country United States 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Abdessalam Elhabbash and Yehia Elkhatib have engaged with them for extending the SLO-ML work, with the results to also be released as open source.
Collaborator Contribution They have started working on the source code for the extension.
Impact No outcomes yet.
Start Year 2020
 
Description Portsmouth 
Organisation University of Portsmouth
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Yehia Elkhatib has visited them for collaboration discussions, and also given a seminar about the results of the ABC project.
Collaborator Contribution They have invited me to give the talk and engaged in discussions about potential collaborations.
Impact We have started a collaborative draft for a follow up research grant.
Start Year 2020
 
Title SLO-ML 
Description SLO-ML extends cloud modelling languages by providing concepts for modelling service level objectives. It is developed as part of the ABC project which focuses on developing an adaptive cloud brokerage framework to act as an intermediary between end users and cloud service providers in order to enhance service delivery and value. 
Type Of Technology Software 
Year Produced 2019 
Open Source License? Yes  
Impact Conference paper, and follow up work with partners. 
URL https://github.com/AbdessalamElhabbash/SLO-ML
 
Description Workshop at RAL 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact A number of representatives of RAL at STFC, CEH, and Oxford University met with us to discuss the requirements of scientific application users for cloud brokerage solutions. During the day-long workshop, we explored a wide array of scientific applications and their operational requirements. We also presented our work to date on cloud brokerage, giving an overview of the state of the art and explaining areas of deficiency.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018