Middleware, framework and novel computing models for grid and cloud service orchestration

Highly scalable, resilient commodity hardware along with the availability of huge amounts of data allow consumers and companies to access to a wide range of high-value services through a pay-per-use, pay-as-you-go model. The increasing need for intelligent services at large scale is bringing providers to optimise the use of resources in order to meet the increasing web-scale demand. Programming models are evolving to address the high complexity of service composition, which need resiliency and efficiency. Algorithms and technologies for intelligent orchestration allow multiple owners of cloud and grid infrastructures to satisfy customer requirements and business constraints. We assist in the development of new architectures, frameworks, middlewares and computing models, as well as innovative applications, aimed at supporting scientists and business analysts in the development of unified computing frameworks and data analysis at large scale. This paper summarises a number of contributions given in the area of distributed cloud and grid computing, with particular emphasis on service orchestrations and emergent applications for high-value services.