Utility computing SLA management based upon business objectives

Abstract

It has become increasingly desirable for companies worldwide to outsource their complex e-business infrastructure under the utility computing paradigm by means of service level agreements (SLAs). A successful utility computing provider must be able not only to satisfy its customers' demand for high service-quality standards, but also to fulfill its service-quality commitments based upon business objectives (e.g., cost-effectively minimizing the exposed business impact of service level violations). This paper presents the design rationale of a business-objectives-based utility computing SLA management system, called SAM, along with implementation experiences.