Evaluation of Economic Resource Allocation in Application Layer Networks - A Metrics Framework

Support for economic resource allocation in Application Layer Networks (such as Grids) is critical to allow applications and users to effectively exploit computational and data infrastructure as a utility. The evaluation of resource allocation strategies plays a major part in the selection of a resource allocation method. This paper presents an evaluation framework for resource allocation methods in Application Layer Networks that attempts to support both a technical and an economic evaluation. The model uses a layered metrics pyramid with different aggregation levels and statistical methods. On top of the pyramid, only one number, the social utility, is able to characterize an economic resource allocation method. This single number may serve to compare different resource allocation strategies. However, one can also determine values obtained for metrics at intermediate levels. We demonstrate using a prototype application how such a metrics pyramid may be deployed in reality, focusing on the implementation of the lower levels of the pyramid.