System and method for managing requests for pooled resources during non-contention

Abstract

A computer system that provides pooled computing resources to clients may receive requests for resources, each of which includes a bid amount. While the supply of resources exceeds the demand, the system may adaptively determine a theoretical bid threshold for the resource pool that represents the predicted value of the lowest bid amount for which corresponding requests will be granted when demand for the resources exceeds supply. The determination may be dependent on a distribution of the bid amounts included in the requests for resources. The system may adaptively determine the lowest bid amount for which corresponding ones of the requests will be granted during non-contention dependent on changes in demand for the resources, the total capacity of the resource pool, and the theoretical bid threshold value, and may grant requests that include higher bid amounts. The use of some resources may be terminated in response to changes in demand.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 performing, by a computer system that provides access to pooled computing resources to clients:
 receiving a plurality of requests for resources in a resource pool while supply of the resources exceeds demand for the resources, wherein each request comprises a respective bid amount; and 
 granting one or more of the plurality of requests for resources for which the respective bid amount is not less than a current non-contention bid threshold value, wherein the current non-contention bid threshold value is dependent on the number of resources requested in the plurality of requests and the number of resources in the resource pool. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the current non-contention bid threshold value is further dependent on the respective bid amounts in the plurality of requests. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining a value of a theoretical bid threshold for the resource pool, wherein the theoretical bid threshold value represents a predicted value of the lowest bid amount for which corresponding requests for the resources will be granted when demand for the resources exceeds supply, and wherein said determining the value of the theoretical bid threshold is dependent on the bid amounts included in the plurality of requests.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining the value of the current non-contention bid threshold for the resource pool, wherein the current non-contention bid threshold value represents the lowest bid amount for which corresponding ones of the plurality of requests for resources will be granted, and wherein said determining the value of the current non-contention bid threshold is dependent on the theoretical bid threshold value.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said determining the value of the theoretical bid threshold comprises:
 modeling the distribution of at least a portion of the bid amounts included in the plurality of requests; and   calculating the value of the theoretical bid threshold dependent on the distribution.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 terminating the use of one or more resources of the resource pool previously granted in response to a request for resources for which the value of the included bid amount was less than the current non-contention bid threshold value.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving one or more additional requests for resources in the resource pool while supply of the resources exceeds demand for the resources, wherein each additional request comprises a respective bid amount;   modifying the value of the current non-contention bid threshold for the resource pool; and   in response to said modifying, granting one of the additional requests or terminating the use of one or more resources of the resource pool previously granted in response to a request for resources.   
     
     
         22 - 28 . (canceled)