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| Compute power deliver through a plug, like electricity |
Here is the exchange with Jonathan Schwartz, in February 22, 2003. A Nothing happened for more than a year, when, on September 4, 2004 - my birthday - we read in the news that the launch of network.com $1 per CPU per Hour initiative is a reality.
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| Sample Utility Bill to model SUNCOP or the future equivalent of SUNCOP |
In it's ultimate incarnation, beyond Amazon.com, the vision was first described by Ian Foster in his book, "The Grid". It is a plug in the wall, to acces any compute power you want, whenever you want, as along as you pay your bill.
Subject: Re: How to break through with new ideas: SUNCOP
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 22:10:43 -0800
From: Jonathan Schwartz
To: Miha Ahronovitz
thanks for your note - Robert and I had a similar discussion recently. We're not yet at the point of wanting to mandate the idea, but we're hovering around concepts quite like SUNCOPS.
Stay tuned - and keep driving!
----- Original Message -----
From: Miha Ahronovitz
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2003 10:30 am
Subject: How to break through with new ideas: SUNCOP
Hi Jonathan,
It's a privilege to write directly to you as you are the highest ranking Sun executive in our Division who can set goals, and make decisions
In these challenging times, how can ideas from the bottom go up? The utility computing task is spread over 4 to 5 separate groups, with no synchronization. As usual in a large company, everyone assumes somebody else knows what's going on.
I know how busy you are, but can you read the enclosed text?
It will take 3 minutes.
cheers and many thanks
Miha Ahronovitz
Line Product Manager
SGE/E
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We invent a Sun Unit of Compute power, a parameter defined and
calculated by us from hardware measurements that the Grid Engine
collects.
Say we call it SUNCOP (Sun Unit of Compute Power).
We store the cumulative calculations of SUNCOPs in a virtual utility
meter for hardware only (CPU, Memory, I/O, network devices, usage a
standard feature in SGE). Then we add - like in telephone bill -
the use of each application software similar to the International and long
distance calls in a phone bill.
The money collected (or recorded as "funny-money") can easily be
redistributed to the right owners of hardware and software in the IT
center.
I mentioned this idea to ... who works for .... I mentioned it to ….. and …... I vaguely
hinted a it to ….. We need a goal from top level Sun management.
We need Jonathan Schwartz to say: I want this DONE and assign measurable goals to all participants
Sun may regain the leadership in the enterprise Data Center Management. Sun Unit of Compute Power SUNCOP may become the industry standard.
To deliver, we need a final definition of the goal, a Project and a Product Manager with a P-Team.
--
Miha Ahronovitz,
Line Product Manager
N1 Grid Engine
Comments
These service provides would offer computer resources on-demand, as needed and "on-line". The services would vary from raw computer resources (processing and storage) to discrete applications. He describes how they would take several forms - public, private, government & community utilities and how hybrid forms (as with the electricity industry) will exist.
He talks extensively about the analogy to the electricity industry along with legislative and social implications.
I'd recommend it.