ERAC: Efficient and Robust Architecture for the Big Data Cloud

ERAC: Efficient and Robust Architecture for the Big Data Cloud

Duration
2012-2016

The ERAC research project, Efficient and Robust Architecture for the Big Data Cloud, is a collaboration between Oracle, Lyse, the University of Oslo (UiO), the University of Stavanger (UiS), and Simula, funded by the Research Council of Norway and the industrial partners Lyse and Oracle. In ERAC, we focus on selected problem areas where current technologies are not well suited to meet the promises of cloud computing: rapid elasticity, massive scale, resilience, virtualization, ease-of-use, trust and energy efficiency. These areas are of vital importance for realizing the potential of cloud computing and big data, where there are significant architectural and technological challenges that must be resolved.

More specifically, in the ERAC project we conduct research along the following three axes:

  1. A self-adaptive network architecture for clouds (Simula/UiO): To make the cloud better suited for big data and high performance computing (HPC) workloads, the network architecture of the cloud needs to be elastic and ensure fair and efficient dynamic provisioning of network resources, adapting to the demanding needs of the current set of users and applications. In ERAC we develop algorithms for optimized routing, path selection, and traffic prioritization, based on constant feedback from the network. The mechanisms need to include real-time monitoring, feedback procedures and on-the-fly network reconfiguration, where the tradeoff between the reconfiguration costs and the post-reconfiguration increase in performance and utilization is considered when making reconfiguration decisions.
  2. A fully virtualized architecture for clouds (Simula/UiO): Virtualization is a key technology to realize a cost-effective, highly elastic, and flexible cloud. In ERAC we seek to combine efficient virtualization techniques and live migration, with highly optimized HPC interconnection network technologies to make the cloud architecture suited for big data. Furthermore, the resulting virtualized cloud architecture should incorporate methods for both self-detection and prediction of faults, resource shortage and free capacity to ensure resilience and facilitate rapid elasticity, i.e. quickly scaling up and down depending on the users’ needs.
  3. Trust and security in the cloud (UiS): For private, public and commercial users to realize the potential of cloud computing and embrace its services, it is essential that the user can rest assured no unauthorized access to data or services are given - particularly as the data and the services are hosted at remote locations. To achieve the needed level of trust, in ERAC we devise a new framework for trust and security, including novel algorithms for authentication and privacy, in the context of cloud computing.

In order to demonstrate our solutions in a real world context, we will implement them in prototypes based on well-established open-source platforms such as OpenStack, Linux and the OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution.

Funding source: 

  • The Research Council of Norway
  • Oracle Corporation
  • Lyse

All partners: 

  • Oracle Corporation
  • Lyse
  • University of Stavanger
  • University of Oslo
  • Simula Research Laboratory