VieSLAF Framework: Facilitating Negotiations in Clouds by applying service mediation and negotiation bootstrapping

Abstract

Cloud computing represents a novel and promising computing paradigm where
computing resources have to be allocated to software for their execution.
Self-manageable Cloud infrastructures are required in order to achieve that
level of flexibility on one hand, and to comply to users' requirements
specified by means of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) on the other. However,
many assumptions in Cloud markets are old fashioned assuming same market
conditions as for example in computational Grids. One such assumptions is that
service provider and consumer have matching SLA templates and common
understanding of the negotiated terms or that they provide public templates,
which can be downloaded and utilized by the end users. Moreover, current Cloud
negotiation systems have based themselves on common protocols and languages
that are known to the participants beforehand. Matching SLA templates and
a-priori knowledge about the negotiation terms and protocols between partners
are unrealistic assumption in Cloud markets where participants meet on demand
and on a case by case basis. In this paper we present VieSLAF, a novel
framework for the specification and management of SLA mappings and
meta-negotiations facilitating service mediation and negotiation bootstrapping
in Clouds. Using VieSLAF users may specify, manage, and apply SLA mappings
bridging the gap between non-matching SLA templates without a-priori knowledge
about negotiation protocols, required security standards or negotiated terms.
We exemplify two case studies where VieSLAF represents an important
contribution towards the development of open and liquid Cloud markets.