Using Run-Time Predictions to Estimate Queue Wait Times and Improve Scheduler Performance

On many computers, a request to run a job is not serviced immediately but instead is placed in a queue and serviced only when resources are released by preceding jobs. In this paper, we build on runtime prediction techniques that we developed in previous research to explore two problems. The first problem is to predict how long applications will wait in a queue until they receive resources. We develop runtime estimates that result in more accurate wait-time predictions than other run-time prediction techniques. The second problem we investigate is improving scheduling performance. We use run-time predictions to improve the performance of the least-work-first and backfill scheduling algorithms. We find that using our run-time predictor results in lower mean wait times for the workloads with higher offered loads and for the backfill scheduling algorithm.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1999
• Where: IPPS
• Authors: Warren Smith, Valerie E. Taylor, Ian T. Foster
• Keywords: Backfill Scheduling Algorithm, Distributed And Parallel Computing, IPPS 1999, Prediction Techniques, Run-time Predictions