Simplecloud: A simple simulator for modeling resource allocations in cloud computing

Abstract

Dynamic virtual machine resource allocation in cloud computing infrastructures is important in order to achieve optimal energy costs and minimal Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations. On the other hand, evaluating resource allocation approaches in real large-scale cloud infrastructures in repeatable and controlled manner, is difficult to achieve. For this reason, simulation and modeling tools are very important, especially in initial stages of development. Although existing state of art cloud computing simulation tools offer the possibility for virtual machine resource allocation evaluation, they are nonetheless complex to work with. In order to help speed up the process of evaluating new resource allocation approaches, we designed and implemented a new cloud computing simulator called SimpleCloud, that is simple to understand and efficient. Experimental evaluation through a resource allocation case study, show its efficiency and suitability for simulating large-scale cloud computing infrastructures.