Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. In response, the cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud. The streams manager builds a permutation of a flow graph for the streaming application using the virtual machine(s), runs the permutation in parallel with the corresponding portion of the flow graph, and compares the performance of the original portion of the flow graph to the performance of the permutation. When the performance of the permutation exceeds the performance of the original part of the flow graph, the streams manager modifies the flow graph so the permutation replaces the original part of the flow graph. In this manner a streaming application can dynamically evolve to increase its performance as needed.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager requests a cloud manager provision one or more VMs on a server that has a specified hardware type, and optionally has specified available hardware capacity. In response, the cloud manager determines which available servers have the specified hardware type, and when available hardware capacity is specified, further determines which of the available servers with the specified hardware type have the specified available capacity. When there are multiple servers that satisfy the request from the streams manager, the cloud manager determines from historical performance logs for the servers which is preferred. The cloud manager then provisions the requested VM(s) on the specified hardware type and returns the requested VM(s) to the streams manager. The streams manager then deploys a portion of the streaming application to the VM(s).

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The streams manager specifies to the cloud manager streams infrastructure and one or more streams application components for the virtual machines. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud.

Abstract: A resource utilization mechanism (RUM) preemptively extracts data from long latency storage in a cloud computing environment to economically and quickly provide data that is infrequently accessed by customers. The RUM identifies periods of low resource utilization where capacity can be efficiently utilized, identifies data to be retrieved, and retrieves the data from long latency storage to make it available to the customer. The RUM may notify a customer that the data is available and allow the customer to accept terms of use for the data or opt out of using the data.

Abstract: A resource utilization mechanism (RUM) preemptively extracts data from long latency storage in a cloud computing environment to economically and quickly provide data that is infrequently accessed by customers. The RUM identifies periods of low resource utilization where capacity can be efficiently utilized, identifies data to be retrieved, and retrieves the data from long latency storage to make it available to the customer. The RUM may notify a customer that the data is available and allow the customer to accept terms of use for the data or opt out of using the data.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager determines from split rules how to split the flow graph for the streaming application. The streams manager requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. In response, the cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so a portion of the flow graph is deployed to the one or more virtual machines in the cloud. In this manner a streaming application can dynamically evolve to increase its performance as needed.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine.

Abstract: Resizing resource allocation in a computing environment, including: displaying, within a graphical user interface, a graphical element representing allocation parameters, the allocation parameters indicating a user's current allocation of one or more resources of the computing environment; displaying, within the graphical user interface, a graphical element representing utilization parameters, the utilization parameters indicating the user's current utilization of the one or more resources of the computing environment; receiving, within the graphical user interface, user input to manipulate the graphical element representing the allocation parameters; and changing, based on the user input received within the graphical user interface, the allocation parameters.

Abstract: Profile data for streaming operators is collected and classified according to the function and relationship of operators, and split rules are constructed for the operators. A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager determines from the split rules how to split the flow graph for the streaming application. The streams manager requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. In response, the cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so a portion of the flow graph is deployed to the one or more virtual machines in the cloud. In this manner a streaming application can dynamically evolve to increase its performance as needed.

Abstract: Profile data for streaming operators is collected and classified according to the function and relationship of operators, and split rules are constructed for the operators. A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager determines from the split rules how to split the flow graph for the streaming application. The streams manager requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. In response, the cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so a portion of the flow graph is deployed to the one or more virtual machines in the cloud. In this manner a streaming application can dynamically evolve to increase its performance as needed.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of parallel portions of a streaming application implemented in multiple virtual machines (VMs). When the performance provided by the multiple VMs is no longer needed, one or more of the VMs can be torn down. The performance of the VMs is monitored. When the least performing VM can be torn down, it is torn down. When the least performing VM cannot be torn down, information regarding a better performing VM is gathered, and it is determined whether the least performing VM can be made more similar to the better performing VM. When the least performing VM can be made more similar to the better performing VM, the least performing VM is changed to improve its performance, and the better performing VM is torn down.

Abstract: A streams manager clones a portion of a primary flow graph to a virtual machine with a buffer to assure no data is lost if the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. The buffer can be on the input of the cloned portion or on the output of the cloned portion. Cloning a portion of a primary flow graph with a buffer assures no data is lost when the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. When the primary flow graph recovers from the failure, the processing may be switched back to the primary flow graph, which causes the buffer to begin buffering once again.

Abstract: A streams manager clones a portion of a primary flow graph to a virtual machine with a buffer to assure no data is lost if the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. The buffer can be on the input of the cloned portion or on the output of the cloned portion. Cloning a portion of a primary flow graph with a buffer assures no data is lost when the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. When the primary flow graph recovers from the failure, the processing may be switched back to the primary flow graph, which causes the buffer to begin buffering once again.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of parallel portions of a streaming application implemented in multiple virtual machines (VMs). When the performance provided by the multiple VMs is no longer needed, one or more of the VMs can be torn down. The performance of the VMs is monitored. When the least performing VM can be torn down, it is torn down. When the least performing VM cannot be torn down, information regarding a better performing VM is gathered, and it is determined whether the least performing VM can be made more similar to the better performing VM. When the least performing VM can be made more similar to the better performing VM, the least performing VM is changed to improve its performance, and the better performing VM is torn down.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing virtual machine images in a distributed computing environment are provided. Embodiments includes a management system recording dependencies between the virtual machine images in the image service repository and dependencies between the deployed virtual machines in the compute service and the virtual machine images in the image service repository. Based on the recorded dependencies between the virtual machine images and the dependencies between the deployed virtual machines and the virtual machine images, the management system identifies a virtual machine image that has no deployed virtual machine dependent upon it. Embodiments also include the management system deleting, by the management system, the identified virtual machine image from the image service repository.

Abstract: A streams manager monitors performance of a streaming application, and when the performance needs to be improved, the streams manager automatically requests virtual machines from a cloud manager. The cloud manager provisions one or more virtual machines in a cloud with the specified streams infrastructure and streams application components. The streams manager then modifies the flow graph so one or more portions of the streaming application are hosted by the virtual machines in the cloud. When performance of the streaming application indicates a virtual machine is no longer needed, the virtual machine is maintained and placed in a ready state so it can be quickly used as needed in the future without the overhead of deploying a new virtual machine.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for managing virtual machine images in a distributed computing environment are provided. Embodiments includes a management system recording dependencies between the virtual machine images in the image service repository and dependencies between the deployed virtual machines in the compute service and the virtual machine images in the image service repository. Based on the recorded dependencies between the virtual machine images and the dependencies between the deployed virtual machines and the virtual machine images, the management system identifies a virtual machine image that has no deployed virtual machine dependent upon it. Embodiments also include the management system deleting, by the management system, the identified virtual machine image from the image service repository.