Integrated Scheduling of Grid Applications in WDM Optical Light-Trail Networks

A novel task graph model, flexible task model (FTM), is proposed for modeling the grid computing tasks and the relationships among the tasks. In this model, a task may generate output before the task completes whereas previous work assumes that no output is available until the task is completed. In addition, a task in FTM can start to execute when it has collected a minimum amount of required input from its predecessors. FTM is more general and flexible than the conventional task graph model considered in previous work. Based on FTM, we investigate the problem of scheduling grid applications that integrates the resource allocation for task execution and service provisioning for subwavelength data communication between the tasks. Data communication between grid tasks under the FTM model is better supported using light-trails in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks, than lightpaths. The objective is to minimize the total amount of time for task completion or makespan. Simulation results show that our proposed scheduling algorithm under FTM significantly reduces the total task completion time compared with that under the conventional task graph model. Moreover, the communication service provisioning using light-trails is very resource efficient.