Summary

This project aims at using clusters of computers as a powerful platform for developing scalable servers. Our work focuses on two aspects. Firstly, we try to develop efficient mechanisms for load balancing and cooperative caching between the cluster nodes. Secondly, we are interested in achieving a performant trade-off between the hard-to-reconcile goals of load balancing and data reference locality.

In this regard, we developed Cluster Aware Remote Disks (CARD). CARDs are disk drivers in the kernel that operate on cooperative caching algorithms. We designed and developed such an algorithm, the Home-Based Serverless Cooperative Caching (HSCC). For further information on CARDs, HSCC and their evaluation, see our publications.

Furthermore, we designed and developed Home-Based Locality-Aware Request Distribution (HLARD), a request distribution policy that combines HSCC with TCP connection endpoint migration. By migrating a TCP connection, two servers may change a connection endpoint in a cluster. HLARD distributes incoming requests according to the locality of the requested data as advertised by HSCC.