Grid meta-broker is a key enabler in realizing the full potential of inter-operating grid computing systems. A challenge to properly evaluate the effectiveness of meta-brokers is the complexity of developing a realistic grid experimental environment. In this paper, this challenge is addressed by a unique combination of two approaches: using reduced workload traces to demonstrate the resource matching and scheduling functions of the meta-broker, and using emulation to provide a flexible and scalable modeling and management for local resources of a grid environment. Real workload traces are reduced while preserving their key workload characteristics to allow exploration of various dimensions of meta-broker functions in reasonable time. Evaluation of round-robin, queue-length, and utilization based meta-broker scheduling algorithms shows that they have different effects on various workloads. Copyright 2009 ACM.
