Cost-efficient CPU provisioning for scientific workflows on clouds

Abstract

Cloud providers now offer resources as combinations of CPU frequencies and prices, with faster resources (which operate at higher frequencies) charged at a higher monetary cost. With the emergence of this new pricing scheme, the problem of choosing cost-efficient configurations is becoming even more challenging for users. The frequencies required to achieve cost-efficient configurations may vary in different scenarios, depending on both the provider’s pricing model and the application characteristics. In this paper, two cost-aware algorithms that select low-cost CPU frequencies for each resource to complete a scientific workflow application within a deadline and at a minimum cost are presented. The proposed approaches are evaluated and compared through simulation using different pricing models that charge resource provisioning also based on the CPU frequency.