Utility Computing

The AppLogic Distributed Kernel provides a set of system services required to implement the distributed infrastructure and application model of AppLogic. The three most important system services include:

• Live hardware provisioning.
  With the ability to add and remove servers and storage on the grid. Adding servers requires little more than connecting them to the grid and entering their IP addresses in the grid configuration. The new server is rebooted automatically, made part of the grid and its recourses are immediately provisioned to run applications. To remove a server (or several), the grid operator only needs to mark them as disabled; AppLogic will migrate automatically the virtual appliances and volumes away from those servers and notify the operator when they are ready for removal.
  
• Resource metering.
  The AppLogic resource metering subsystem is an integral part of the kernel. It interacts directly with the scheduler, and the storage, virtual machine and connection managers. This makes it easy to measure and report hardware resources assigned to each application and component, enabling 3TERA customers to implement sophisticated billing systems based on actual resource consumption.
  
• Visual interface in a browser.
  AppLogic implements an AJAX-based visual interface for creating virtual appliances, assembling application infrastructure, monitoring and troubleshooting applications and managing the system. AppLogic users can integrate, deploy and manage their applications from anywhere in the world using only a browser and basic IT skills.
  
• Catalog delivery system.
  The AppLogic catalog delivery system provides global distribution, caching and sharing of virtual appliance classes, standard application infrastructure assemblies, and whole prepackaged applications ready to run. The delivery system creates a network effect, plugging every AppLogic user into a global network for using and sharing applications and application infrastructure.
  
• Grid management system.
  For massive datacenter deployments, AppLogic includes a separate system for managing multiple grids. The grid management system is implemented as an AppLogic application and provides a unified view over the datacenter, enabling the operator to see and manage hundreds of deployed grids as a single system.