Kernel support for the event-based cooperation of distributed resource managers

Multimedia and real-time applications require end-to-end QoS support based on the cooperative management of their distributed resources. This paper introduces a kernel-level facility, called Q(uality)-channel, which provides a flexible fabric with which Operating System developers can efficiently implement policies for managing the resources used by distributed applications. The inherent complexity of resource management in large-scale distributed applications is addressed by the event-based cooperation over asynchronous and anonymous Q-channels. Q-channel creation and operation (such as resource monitoring and adaptation) is hidden behind standard communication mechanisms, i.e., transparent to applications and thereby offering quality of service support with minimal application involvement. However an application can influence the manner in which its operation is affected by Q-channels, such as permitting resource managers to customize individual application-level communications by dynamically installing Q-filters into data streams. Such Q-filters can also be parameterized, thereby permitting continuous manipulations of application-level communications based on requirement and performance information dynamically collected from event publishers and subscribers.