Abstract: A scheduling framework for a heterogeneous computer network comprises a task performance predictor for estimating computation time on each computer in a network for each job input to the network, a performance characteristics database for recording information about each component of the network including the performance history of each computer in the network for each job, an administrative interface for entering scheduling information, editing the performance characteristics database, selecting real-time or simulated operation, and for monitoring network performance, a user interface for specifying constraints on the execution of a particular job, a scheduler for assigning the jobs to the computers in the network, and a controller for responding to network events and for relaying scheduling information to the network and network status messages from the network.