A brokering framework for large-scale heterogeneous systems

In this paper we discuss the role of a broker in a market-oriented resource allocation model for large-scale heterogeneous systems. The simplified model is based upon a three party system, provider-broker-consumer. The allocation of resources is determined by their price, their utility to the consumer, and by the satisfaction of the consumer. The role of the broker is to add societal objectives to resource allocation algorithms and to mediate between greedy consumers and selfish providers. A simulation experiment was conducted to study the transient and the steady-state behavior of several performance measures, including the average consumer satisfaction, the average utility, and the hourly revenue.