Grid computing mediation device and method

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention is a grid for mediating between a grid computing project that performs calculation processing for a specific purpose by distributed processing by a large number of user computers and a user who intends to provide the processing power of the computer to such a project. Concerning computing mediators and methods.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, a calculation method called grid computing has become widespread. This grid computing is performed by distributing processing that requires a huge amount of calculation by a large number of computers connected via a network such as the Internet, and mainly science and technology such as genome analysis and natural phenomenon simulation. It has begun to be used in the field of calculation (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). As a calculation project using grid computing (hereinafter, simply referred to as a calculation project), for example, "SETI @ home (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence at)" Home) project (see Non-Patent Document 2). The "SETI @ home" project aims to search for extraterrestrial intelligent life by analyzing radio signals from outside the earth. Users who want to provide the processing power of their computers to this project access the SETI @ home website, download and install the prescribed calculation program. After that, this program is started when the computer is not in use, performs calculation processing based on the data received from the SETI @ home server, and returns the calculation result to the server when the processing is completed.

【0003】

[Non-Patent Document 1]

"Nikkei Computer", Nikkei BP, October 7, 2002, p.36 [0004]

[Non-Patent Document 2]

"SETI @ home", [online], [Search May 28, 2003], Internet, <URL: http://www.planetary.org/html/UPDATES/seti/SETI@home/default.html> [ 0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In the above SETI @ home, no compensation is paid to the user who provided the processing power of the computer, and the user provides the processing power of the computer as a free volunteer. Even in other calculation projects, the incentives for users are not necessarily high because they do not promise to give compensation to the providing users. In addition, in the past, when trying to provide computer processing power to a calculation project, the user had to access the website established for each calculation project, which was inconvenient for selecting the calculation project of interest. It was.

【0006】

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the user can easily select a calculation project for which the processing power of the computer is to be provided, and the user who has provided the processing power of the computer to the calculation project. The purpose is to be able to reward.

【0007】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention aims to provide a calculation project of grid computing that performs a calculation process for a specific purpose by distributed processing by a large number of user computers, and a computer processing power for such a calculation project. grid computing intermediary device der for mediating between the user, comprises the following means (1) to (3). (1) A means for transmitting a project selection screen for selecting one of the plurality of calculation projects to a user computer accessed via a network. This project selection screen is configured so that when any calculation project is selected, the connection destination of the user computer is transferred to the calculation server corresponding to the selected calculation project. (2) A means for receiving a completion notification including a user ID of a user who has completed calculation processing on the user computer from a calculation server corresponding to the calculation project selected on the project selection screen. (3) Acquire predetermined consideration information for the project corresponding to the calculation server that is the source of the end notification, and based on the acquired consideration information, to the user corresponding to the user ID included in the end notification. A means of determining your reward.

【0008】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A grid computing intermediary server (hereinafter abbreviated as an intermediary server) 10 is connected to a grid computing calculation project server (hereinafter referred to as a calculation server) 14 and a user computer 16 via the Internet 12. There is. The calculation server 14 is a computer system provided for each grid computing project (hereinafter, simply referred to as a project) such as genome analysis and natural phenomenon simulation calculation, and is provided as a user computer 16 that provides processing power to the corresponding project. On the other hand, it has a function of transmitting data necessary for calculation and integrated processing of calculation results received from a large number of user computers 16.

【0009】

In the present embodiment, the user who has registered the user in the intermediary server 10 in advance accesses the intermediary server 10 from the user computer 16 and selects a desired calculation project, and applies the processing capacity of the user computer 16 to the selected calculation project. Can be provided. In addition, the user who provided the processing power of the user computer 16 to the calculation project is rewarded via the intermediary server 10. For this purpose, the intermediary server 10 is provided with a project database 20 and a user database 22.

【0010】

FIG. 2 shows the data structure of the project database 20. As shown in the figure, the project database 20 stores project information such as a project ID, a project name, a project content, a URL of a calculation server 14, and consideration information for various projects. The consideration information is information indicating the consideration to be paid to the user for the calculation process of the unit amount performed by the provider computer 16. In the present embodiment, money is paid as a consideration, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various things can be used as a consideration, for example, by giving a number of points. The above-mentioned information stored in the project database 20 is presented in advance by the operator of each calculation project to the operator of the intermediary server 10.

【0011】

FIG. 3 shows the data structure of the user database 22. As shown in the figure, the user database 22 stores user information such as user ID, password, name, address, and account information. This information is presented by each user at the time of user registration.

【0012】

FIG. 4 shows the flow of processing in this embodiment. As shown in the figure, a user who intends to provide the processing power of his / her own user computer 16 to any project accesses the intermediary server 10 from the user computer 16 and logs in after user authentication using a user ID and password. (S100). The intermediary server 10 identifies the user ID of the logged-in user (S101), and transmits the project selection screen to the user computer 16 (S102).

【0013】

FIG. 5 shows an example of the project selection screen. As shown in the figure, the project selection screen includes a selection button 50 for selecting one of a plurality of calculation projects. An explanation that introduces the contents of each project may be posted on the project selection screen, or a link to another screen on which the explanation is posted may be provided. The URL of the calculation server 14 of the corresponding project is linked to each selection button 50 on the project selection screen, and the user ID of the user is set as a parameter thereof.

【0014】

Specifically, the selection button 50 is described by, for example, the following HTML statement. <FORM ACTION = http: // (URL of calculation server) METHOD = POST > <INPUT TYPE = submit VALUE = ABC genome analysis project > <INPUT TYPE = hidden NAME = user_id VALUE = 123456> </ FORM> However, user_id is a variable representing the user ID, and in the above example, the user ID is "123456".

【0015】

Therefore, when any of the selection buttons 50 is clicked on the project selection screen (S104), the following HTTP request is sent from the user computer 16 to access the corresponding calculation server 14 and at the same time. , The user ID (user_id) is passed to the calculation server 14 (S106).

【0016】

"Http: // (URL of calculation server) /? user_id = 123456" In this way, by notifying the calculation server 14 of the user ID, the calculation server 14 is a user who has accessed via the intermediary server 10. Can be identified. However, when the calculation server 14 is accessed from the user computer 16, the user ID may be input again. In that case, the user ID is sent to the calculation server 14 when the project is selected. It is not necessary to be done.

【0017】

Upon receiving the access from the user computer 16 via the intermediary server 10 as described above, the calculation server 14 downloads the calculation program for grid computing to the user computer 16 (S108).

【0018】

The calculation program downloaded to the user computer 16 is installed and started as needed (S110). The calculation program may be plugged into the browser, or when the user computer 16 is not used like a screen saver (for example, the keyboard or mouse is operated for a certain period of time or longer). It may be started automatically (not specified). The started calculation program receives the data required for the calculation process from the calculation server 14, and performs the calculation process according to a predetermined algorithm based on the data. Then, when the calculation process is completed, the calculation result is transmitted to the calculation server 14 together with the user ID (S112).

【0019】

When the calculation server 14 receives the calculation result and the user ID from the user computer 16, it sends a termination notification including the user ID and its own project ID to the intermediary server 10 (S114). The mediation server 10 identifies the project based on the project ID included in the completion notification (S115), refers to the project database 20, and obtains consideration information for the project (S116). Then, for the user ID included in the above end notification, the amount represented by the acquired consideration information is added to the reward amount recorded in the user database 22 (S118), and the reward amount is accumulated for each project ID. .. Assuming that the operator of the intermediary server 10 collects the intermediary fee, the amount obtained by subtracting the intermediary fee from the consideration may be added to the remuneration payment amount.

【0020】

The intermediary server 10 executes a process for transferring the reward payment amount of each user stored in the user database 22 to the account specified by the account information (S120) at an appropriate timing (for example, at the end of the month), and transfers the payment. When the processing is completed, the value of the reward payment amount is reset to zero. In addition, the operator of the intermediary server 10 charges the operator of each project for the accumulated reward amount for each project ID.

【0021】

As described above, according to the system of the present embodiment, the intermediary server 10 functions as a kind of portal site that organizes various grid computing projects, and the user simply accesses the intermediary server 10 to perform a plurality of calculations. You can select any project from the projects. Therefore, there is an advantage that the user can easily access the project of interest.

【0022】

Further, in the present embodiment, by providing the processing power of the user computer 16 to the calculation project, the consideration obtained by the user can be managed by the intermediary server 10, and the consideration can be collected and returned to the user as a reward. .. Such rewards provide a great incentive for users to be involved in the project, and it is expected that the number of users who provide processing power to the calculation project will increase.

【0023】

In the above embodiment, when a calculation project is selected on the project selection screen, the calculation program is downloaded from the calculation server 14 after the connection destination of the user computer 16 is transferred to the corresponding calculation server 14. did. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when a calculation program is stored in the intermediary server 10 and any calculation project is selected on the project selection screen, the corresponding calculation program is transferred from the intermediary server 10 to the user computer 16. It may be configured to be downloaded to. In this case, if the intermediary server 10 includes the user ID in the program and downloads it, the user ID is transmitted from the user computer 16 to the calculation server 14 when the project is selected on the project selection screen. That is unnecessary. In addition, the program itself downloaded from the intermediary server 10 to the user computer 16 is common to each calculation project, and when the user computer 16 accesses the calculation server 14, the calculation processing contents are transmitted from the calculation server 14 to the user computer 16. The data for specifying the may be transmitted.

【0024】

Further, in the above embodiment, the calculation project that can be selected on the project selection screen is a separate and independent project, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of selectable calculation projects are, for example, calculations in one calculation project. It may be a project that is related to each other, such as a subproject in which the processing is divided according to the processing content. By dividing one calculation project into subprojects according to the calculation processing contents in this way, the user can select what kind of calculation processing to use his / her own computer. That is, in the case of a conventional calculation project, the user decides what kind of processing his / her computer is used in the calculation project unilaterally on the calculation project side. For example, the user can independently determine the processing contents of his / her own computer to some extent.

【0025】

Further, in the above embodiment, the mediation server 10 and the calculation server 14 have been described as being provided separately. However, for example, when a plurality of selectable projects are related to each other as described above, The intermediary server 10 and the calculation server 14 may be configured by a common computer system.

【0026】

[Effect of the invention]

According to the present invention, the user can easily select a calculation project for which the processing power of the computer is to be provided, and the user who provides the processing power of the computer for the calculation project can be rewarded as a consideration. it can.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure of a project database.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of a user database.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a project selection screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

Ten Mediation Server 12 Internet 14 Computational Server 16 User Computer 20 Project Database 22 User Database