Service broker for computational offloading and improved resource utilization

Abstract

Flexible utilization of capacity to provide computing services mediated by a service broker. The service broker receives a request from a first party for assistance with a service workload as well as an indication from a second party of a willingness to provide service. The service broker matches the parties with each other based at least in part on the capacity of the second party to service the service workload of the first party, manages offloading of the service workload from first party to the second party, and manages billing of a workload provider (such as the first party or the first party's customer) for the offloading engagement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a service delegatee, an indication of ability to provide service;   receiving, from a service delegator, a request for assistance with a service workload;   matching the service delegatee with the service delegator based, at least in part, on a capacity of the service delegatee to service the service workload of the service delegator;   managing offloading of the service workload from the delegator to the delegatee, including initialization and termination of a service offloading engagement; and   managing billing of a workload provider for the service offloading engagement;   wherein:   the above steps are performed without substantial human intervention by computer software running on computer hardware.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the matching includes consideration of a set of criteria specified by the delegator that the delegatee should meet in order for the delegatee to be matched with the delegator. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the matching includes consideration of a set of criteria specified by the delegatee that the delegator should meet in order for the delegator to be matched with the delegatee. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein initialization of the service offloading engagement includes managing deployment of a software service pack that enables the delegatee to service the offloaded workload. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein termination of the service offloading engagement occurs upon request by either the delegator or the delegatee. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the billed workload provider is the service delegator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the billed workload provider is a service consumer of the service delegator; and 
 the billing management includes automatically allocating payments from the service consumer between the delegator and the delegatee according to the service each provided to the service consumer. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein initialization of the service offloading engagement is completed only if the delegatee agrees to one or more performance guarantees. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the matching includes trust verification and credit level evaluation criteria. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein computing resources of the delegatee used to offload the service workload from the delegator are primarily used by the delegatee for internal and/or non-commercial purposes.