Thomas Sandholm, Kevin Lai. Evaluating demand prediction techniques for computational markets. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: We evaluate different prediction techniques to estimate future demand of resource usage in a computational market. Usage traces from the PlanetLab network are used to compare the prediction accuracy of models based on histograms, normal distribution approximation, maximum entropy, and autoregression theory. We particularly study the ability to predict the tail of the probability distribution in order to give guarantees of upper bounds of demand. We found that the maximum entropy model was particularly well suited to predict these upper bounds.

Danny OH, Steven MILLER, Nan HU. Experimental and Empirical Perspectives on Grid Resource Allocation for the Singapore Market. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: In this paper, we describe our work on using the Tycoon system developed by HP Labs to provide a market-based resource allocation and bidding framework for a grid. We discuss how we intend to evaluate the feasibility of the Tycoon system by measuring its economic performance using agent-based simulation experiments for a particular type of grid usage scenario, namely, the digital media market scenario. We will also discuss a related effort in collecting and using real grid data from the National Grid Pilot Platform in Singapore and how we will be using real data collected to derive actual usage patterns to verify the demand models used in the experiments. Lastly, we discuss the impact and significance of our work in the design and execution of commercialized grid business models for the digital media grid market hub.

Marcos Assuncao, Rajkumar Buyya, Nan HU. An evaluation of communication demand of auction protocols in grid environments. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Dynamic pricing and good level of Pareto optimality make auctions more attractive for resource allocation over other economic models. However, some auction models present drawbacks regarding the high demand of communication when applied to large-scale scenarios. In a complex Grid environment, the communication demand can become a bottleneck; that is, a number of messages need to be exchanged for matching suitable service providers and consumers. In this context, it is worthwhile to investigate the communication demand or complexity of auction protocols in Grid environments. This work presents an analysis on the communication requirements of four auction protocols, namely First-Price Sealed, English, Dutch, and Continuous double auctions, in Grid environments. In addition, we provide a framework supporting auction protocols within a Grid simulating toolkit called GridSim.

Wolfgang Trumler, Andreas Pietzowski, Benjamin Satzger, Theo Ungerer. Adaptive Self-optimization in Distributed Dynamic Environments. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Grid and ubiquitous computing systems generally consist of a large number of networked nodes with applications implemented as distributed services or processes, respectively. A crucial point is the distribution of the services to balance the load within the system during runtime. In a former work we developed a self-optimization mechanism which shows outstanding performance in static environments where the services do not change their resource consumptions (e.g. CPU, memory, communication bandwidth). In this paper we present simulation results for the self-optimization within dynamic environments where the services change their load during runtime.

C. Keyon. Information-Resource Economics - The Intersection between Grid Economics and Information Economics (Invited paper). In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Grid Economics looks at the economics of resources such as computational capacity, storage capacity and network capacity. That is, the economics of non-storable resources. In contrast, Information Economics looks at information as it exists in, for examples, CD's or DVD's, which have very low marginal costs of production. Here, I will examine the intersection between Grid and Information Economics which I will label Information-Resource Economics, focussing first on defining and clarifying the concept of Information-Resources. Information-Resources can be print books whose pages are made available, for a price, via the web. Alternatively a resource can be a blog, or special interest site, that produces revenue via advertisements. Alternatively an information-resource can be an individual song track. A specific characteristic of these information-resources is that their value comes partly from their content and party how they are accessible. Their content — at a single point in time — may have low marginal cost of production but their value comes from accessibility etc. (e.g. reputation for a blog). Thus we consider both the value of the resources for their owners and the total cost of different types of ownership of these resources. We examine cases of successful creation of information-resources and draw conclusions both for information-resources in general and for Grid resources in particular.

R. Krishnan, K Hosanagar. Challenges in Designing Grid Marketplaces (Invited paper). In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Grid computing – the shared use of a set of loosely coupled and distributed IT resources across organizations and/or geographies – has made significant headway in recent years. Economic mechanisms ranging from posted prices to auction-based schemes have been proposed to meet the needs of grid resource allocation and scheduling. We do not propose yet another grid economic mechanism in this paper. Instead, we discuss two issues that we believe are fundamental to the economic functioning of the grid – irrespective of the particular mechanism chosen. The first problem we address is from the perspective of grid resource suppliers and pertains to capacity planning. The grid computing literature has assumed that excess capacity (of CPU, bandwidth, storage and software licenses) on the grid will exist to meet demand from other sources. However, given economic mechanisms, capacity planning becomes subject to these very same economic constraints. The interesting question given the distributed nature of the grid is the effect on social welfare of uncoordinated distributed planning for resource provisioning and how it would compare to social welfare under centralized coordinated capacity planning for grid resources. In this paper, we provide an overview of some of these challenges and propose some techniques from Management Science that may be applicable to these problems. The second problem is from the perspective of grid consumers and pertains to the estimation of grid resources (software license, CPU, memory, disk space) required to execute a job on the grid. These estimates are required by many market mechanism proposals to enable allocation of resources to jobs on the grid. However, in many settings, developing these estimates are difficult and estimates tend to be noisy and highly variable. This raises a number of questions such as a) What are the implications of this type of noisy estimates on the social welfare of grid? b) When resource utilization distributions of jobs are heavy tailed, what is the right way to price access to the resources?

H.Y. Lee, T.T. Choo, K.E. Lau, W.C. Wong. A Grid Market Framework. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: We outline a proposed framework for a grid market where grid resources can be supplied and acquired in Singapore. While several types of participants already exist, these and other roles that have been identified will evolve over time. The underlying building blocks are being developed to realize the Grid Exchange, which forms the heart of the grid market. We discuss the current version of the framework using the digital media industry as an example and prior work leading to its realization.

Melvin Koh, Jie Song, Liang Peng, Simon See. A Market-based Framework for Trading Grid Resources. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

H.K. Bhargava, A. Bagh. Tariff Structures for Pricing Grid Computing Resources. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Multi-part tariffs are quite popular in the information, communication, and entertainment industries. These include two-part tariffs (fixed membership fee, plus per-use fee), three-part tariffs (fixed fee, allowance level, per-use fee), flat-rate tariffs (fixed fee, unlimited use), linear tariffs, progressive tariffs (initial rate up to some level, then higher rate), etc. We discuss the role of these structures in a market for grid computing resources under a utility computing model. We also analyze connection between pricing and capacity planning under demand uncertainty and information asymmetry.

K. VANMECHELEN, G. STUER AND J. BROECKHOVE. Pricing substitutable grid resources usingcommodity market models. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Enhancing Grid technology with market models for trading resources, is a promising step for Grids to become open systems that allow for user-centric service provisioning. This paper introduces a market model for trading substitutable Grid resources in a commodity market. We develop a pricing scheme and evaluate the market mechanisms through simulation. We show that the resource market achieves price stability and correctness, allocative efficiency and fairness.

Xin Bai, Dan, C. Marinescu, Howard Jay Siegel, Rose A. Daley, I-jeng Wang. Are utility, price, and satisfaction based resource allocation models 55 suitable for large-scale distributed systems. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss a resource allocation model that takes into account the utility of the resources for the consumers and the pricing structure imposed by the providers. We show how a satisfaction function can express the preferences of the consumer both regarding the utility and the price of the resources. In our model, the brokers are mediating among the selfish interests of the consumers and the providers, and societal interests, such as efficient resource utilization in the system. We report a simulation study on the performance of the model. 1.

J. Hwang, H.L. Choong, I.J. Choi, S.Y. Kim. The Analysis for the Trust Policy of Grid System Based on Agent Based Virtual Market Simulation. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: The Grid Computing Technology is earning interest as the new generation of information and communication infrastructure which will replace the Internet. Presently, various countries all around the world are achieving the reduction of cost with the increment in capacity and quality through the commercialization of various grid services [l][2]. To construct and commercialize Grid services, the trustworthiness of the system is just as important as the technological advance and service profitability. On the basis of this observation, our research considers the system policy which is required to guarantee appropriate trust among system participants by modeling the Grid service market in a form of N personnel repeated prisoners' dilemma. As a result of the virtual market analysis it is shown that, when the system policy for trust is not implied properly, the Grid service market cannot attain sustainable growth. Especially, the effects of sharing level of the transaction information and restriction level of service usage nominal were evaluated in a various point of performance including total quantity of transaction, rate of cooperative transaction, and welfare. In conclusion, implications of appropriate policy alternatives are indicated on specific pursuits of the system to enable trust based Grid service market.

R. Croucher. Private to Public Grids. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: Sun Microsystems is leading the world with the first public Grid service offering, where any user with a valid credit card can submit jobs. Richard will talk about the challenges faced in offering this and the underlying trust continuum which has required Sun to develop its own multi-tenancy capabilities in order to support users with differing security and privacy concerns. These enable a single Grid infrastructure to be securely partitioned and allocated to users or organizations for which a public Grid offering is not currently acceptable.

Hirotaka Ogawa, Satoshi Itoh, Tetsuya Sonoda, Satoshi Sekiguchi. GridASP: an ASP framework for Grid utility computing. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: One of the greatest evolutions brought about by Grid technology is ‘Grid utility computing’, which utilizes various kinds of IT resources and applications across multiple organizations and enterprises, and integrates them into a comprehensive and valuable service. Since 2004, we proposed and have been developing the GridASP framework, which realizes Grid-enabled application service providers (ASPs) in order to realize Grid utility computing. GridASP can bind application providers, resource providers, and service providers together and provide application execution services with security and anonymity to enterprise/science users. In this article, we report the conceptual idea of GridASP and the detail of the framework now being developed. Information on GridASP can be found at http://www.gridasp.org. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

J. Brunelle, P. Hurst, J. Huth, L. Kang, C. Ng, D. Parkes, M. Seltzer, J. Shank, S. Youssef. Egg: An extensible and economics-inspired open grid computing platform. In: Eds.:Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 3rd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2006.

Abstract: The Egg pro ject provides a vision and implementation of how heterogeneous com- putational requirements will be supported within a single grid and a compelling reason to explain why computational grids will thrive. Environment computing, which allows a user to specify properties that a compute environment must satisfy in order to support the users computation, provides a how. Economic principles, allowing resource owners, users, and other stakeholders to make value and policy statements, provides a why. The Egg pro ject introduces a language for defining software environments (egg shel l), a general type for grid ob jects (the cache), and a currency (the egg). The Egg platform resembles an economically driven Internet- wide Unix system with egg shell playing the role of a scripting language and caches playing the role of a global file system, including an initial collection of devices.

F Falcon. GRIDA telco perspective: The BT grid strategy. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Abstract: The world of Web Services and that of GRID Services have been brought together by International Fora and this confluence has been the prime driver behind the GRID strategy developed within BT by the Grid Action Team. In this paper each is considered in turn and the effect of their confluence explained in the BT GRID strategy, concluding with a short statement on the operational requirements of the strategy.

Thomas Weishaupl, Flavia Donno, Erich Schikuta, Heinz Stockinger, Helmut Wanek. Business In the Grid: The BIG Project. Grid Economics & Business Models (GECON 2005) of Global Grid Forum. – 2005. – Т. 13.

Abstract: Grid computing has gained lots of popularity in the last decade in particular in the academic environment. Several technically sound prototypes of Grid middleware systems have been created and are in use in data and/or computing intensive science domains. Although several multi-national Grid projects have industry partners, Grid technology is still not yet fully accepted in industry or business domains. We have launched the Business In the Grid (BIG) project to first make business aware of Grid technology and then try to explore new business models. One of the early outcomes is an Economy Grid layer model, which is presented along with the detailed project goals.

Shuichiro Yamamoto, Masatake Iwasaki. cell computing®: bringing PC Grid into business. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Abstract: NTT DATA is trying to bring PC Grid into business. We present cell computing which is brand of the service of PC grid we are promoting. At first, We describe the summary of experimental PC Grid projects carried out on the Internet. Then we discuss the business model referring to open source business, and relation between PC Grid and Grid.

Hing-Yan Lee, Thong-Tiong Choo, Jon Khee-Erng Lau & W.C. Wong. The National Grid Pilot Platform in Singapore. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Abstract: The National Grid Pilot Platform is the first large-scale national computational grid system in Singapore. This endeavor in its first phase seeks to establish a heterogeneous environment where different compute resource owners contribute CPU cycles on a shared basis. With the benefit of more than one year of operations, today we have greater clarity in what needs to be done in the next phase.

Junseok Hwang, Choong Hee Lee∗, So Young Kim, Ie-jung Choi, Jun Young Seo, Hyeon-Sun Song and Sun-Jong Kwon. Grid as the Enabler of the Enhanced Ubiquitous Computing: A Positioning Paper for the Commercialization of Grid Technology. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Abstract: The utilization of Grid has been increased, centering around the research groups which need heavy computation and data storage. However, Grid applications for general IT services have not been developed sufficiently comparing to its potential possibility of ubiquitous harmonization & virtualization. In this paper, we analyze the causes of slow adoption of Grid and the requirements for its promoting ubiquitous utilization. Specifically, we are willing to focus on the necessities and advantages related with mass customization covering all IT areas, and we also argue the necessity of the trust encoded Grid middleware for securing and motivating resource sharing. Finally, we prospect that the benefit, which comes from solving analyzed particulars, can bring enormous positive impacts to both Grid suppliers and consumers.

Altmann J. The Step from Grid Research to Successful Grid Businesses. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Abstract: Resent research generated many valuable solutions for technical issues of Grid computing. The Grid research comprised scientific applications, middleware architectures, resource optimization tools, as well as management tools. However, until now, there are only very few businesses built around these Grid solutions. The existing business models only address very specific niches. Within this paper, we discuss the technology components that are missing to turn Grid computing from a research topic into a successful service for everybody. The goal is to aggregate spare resources from anybody on the Internet and sell it to somebody on the Internet in the desired size. Only if this is possible, Grid computing will be affordable and accessible to everybody in the future. Within this paper, we point out some of the different tools that are necessary to make this happen and discuss the business incentives for using Grid computing.

Satoshi Itoh, Hirotaka Ogawa, Tetsuya Sonoda and Satoshi Sekiguchi. GridASP: A framework for a new utility business. In: Eds.: Junseok Hwang, Jysoo Lee. GECON, 2nd Workshop on Grid Economics and Business Models. 2005.

Robert J. Kauffman, Dan Ma, Martin Yu. On the Applicability of a Service-Specific Metrics Suite to Assess Firm-Level Cloud Computing Adoption Readiness. In: SS on Economics of Computing Services. Electronic Markets. 2017.

Abstract: Recent research on cloud computing adoption suggests the lack of a deep understanding of its benefits by managers and organizations. We present a firm-level cloud computing readiness metrics suite and assess its applicability for various cloud computing service types. We propose four relevant categories for firm-level adoption readiness, including technology and performance dimensions, organizational and strategy dimensions, economic and valuation dimensions, and regulatory and environmental dimensions. We fur-ther define sub-categories and measures for each. Our evidence is derived based on a series of empirical cases developed from our project work, which encompasses input from field interviews, business press sources, industry white papers, non-governmental organizations, and government agency sources. We then assess how the application of the metrics suite supports organizational users of cloud computing.

Keywords: Adoption Readiness; Cloud Computing; Empirical Assessment; Managerial Decision-Making; Metrics Suite; Technology Adoption.

Maurizio Naldi, Marta Flamini, Giuseppe D'Acquisto. Negligence and Sanctions in Information Security Investments in a Cloud Environment. In: SS on Economics of Computing Services. Electronic Markets. 2017.

Abstract: The Learned Hand's rule, comparing security investments against the expected loss from data breaches, can be used as a simple tool to determine the negligence of the company holding the data. On the other hand, companies may have several incentives to distribute their data over a cloud. In order to analyse the conflict between the sanctioning behaviour and the search for economic profit, we employ the well known Gordon-Loeb models, as well as the more recent Huang-Behara models, for the relationship between investments and the probability of money loss due to malicious attacks. In this paper we determine the optimal amount of investments when data are distributed over a cloud and Hand's rule is applied. We find that the net benefit of investing in security shrinks as the number of repositories making up the cloud grows, till investing becomes non profitable. An implication of our study is that, unless the cloud provider may guarantee a higher security investment productivity, the cloud solution provides a lower net benefit than the centralized one. By the application of Hand's rule, we show that the company is held negligent if it does not invest just in the case it uses a centralized storage infrastructure or a cloud made of a limited number of repositories: Hand's rule sanctions the lack of security investments by cloud providers with a limited number of repositories.

Keywords: Security; Privacy; Investments; Cloud; Negligence; Hand's Rule.

Cesare Bartolini, Donia El Kateb, Yves Le Traon, David Hagen. Cloud Providers Viability: How to Address it from an IT and Legal Perspective? In: SS on Economics of Computing Services. Electronic Markets. 2017.

Abstract: A major part of the commercial Internet is moving towards the cloud paradigm. This phenomenon has a drastic impact on the organizational structures of enterprises and introduces new challenges that must be properly addressed to avoid major setbacks. One such challenge is that of cloud provider viability, that is, the reasonable certainty that the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) will not go out of business, either by filing for bankruptcy or by simply shutting down operations, thus leaving its customers stranded without an infrastructure and, depending on the type of cloud service used, even without their applications or data. This article attempts to address the issue of cloud provider viability, defining a possible way of modelling viability as a non-functional requirement and proposing some approaches that can be used to mitigate the problem, both from a technical and from a legal perspective. By introducing a structured perspective into the topic of cloud viability, describing the risks, factors and possible mitigators, the contribution of this work is twofold: it gives the customer a better understanding to determine when it can rely on the cloud infrastructure on the long term and what precautions it should take in any case, and provides the CSP with means to address some of the the viability issues and thus increase its customers' trust.

Keywords: Cloud; Viability; Standardization; Service Level Agreement (SLA); Software Escrow.