Methods, systems, and computer readable media for enabling real-time guarantees in publish-subscribe middleware using dynamically reconfigurable networks

Abstract

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for enabling real-time guarantees in publish-subscribe middleware with dynamically reconfigurable networks. One exemplary method includes providing a publish-subscribe middleware interface usable by publishers and subscribers to request quality of service guarantees for data delivery across a network. The method also includes providing a global resource manager for receiving quality of service requests from the subscribers, for evaluating the requests, and for dynamically reconfiguring network resources to provide the requested quality of service guarantees.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for enabling real-time guarantees in publish-subscribe middleware with dynamically reconfigurable networks, the method comprising:
 providing a publish-subscribe middleware interface usable by publishers and subscribers to request quality of service guarantees for data delivery across a network, wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface includes a client library that automatically infers a maximum message size M from a message type specified by a publisher when the publisher comes online; and 
 providing a global resource manager for receiving quality of service requests from the subscribers, for evaluating the requests, and for dynamically reconfiguring network resources to provide the requested quality of service guarantees, wherein a publisher specifies, via the publish-subscribe middleware interface, a minimum separation in time, minSep, between messages published to a topic and the message type of the messages, and wherein the global resource manager includes a flow scheduler that configures a rate limiter for the publisher that limits the rate at which the publisher can publish messages onto the network to a rate equal to M/minSep. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein providing a publish-subscribe middleware interface includes providing an interface through which publishers and subscribers can request timing guarantees for data delivery across the network and wherein providing a global resource manager includes providing a global resource manager adapted to dynamically configure the network to meet the timing guarantees. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein providing a global resource manager includes providing a global resource manager including an OpenFlow controller for dynamically reconfiguring the network resources in response to the requests. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface is usable by new publishers and subscribers to an open network to join and leave the network in real time while the network is operational and have quality of service guarantees on communications between the publishers and subscribers. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the global resource manager is adapted to dynamically reconfigure network resources with rate limiters to limit communications involved in a time critical transmission when a client becomes faulty and begins consuming more resources than initially requested via the publish-subscribe middleware interface. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface and the global resource manager allow best effort traffic to transparently share the network with time critical traffic by automatically mapping best effort traffic to a lower priority than time critical traffic. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface responds to publishers and subscribers to indicate whether or not a network configuration that will ensure the requested quality of service can be generated. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  comprising providing at least one client that uses the publish-subscribe middleware interface to request a quality of service guarantee from the global resource manager. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein the at least one client comprises a patient vital sign monitor that functions as a publisher of patient vital sign measurements. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein the at least one client comprises a power grid sensor that publishes power grid measurements. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  wherein the client comprises a cloud computing application that uses distributed computing resources and requests a quality of service guarantee for communications between the distributed computing resources. 
     
     
       12. A system for enabling real-time guarantees in publish-subscribe middleware with dynamically reconfigurable networks, the system comprising:
 a publish-subscribe middleware interface usable by publishers and subscribers to request quality of service guarantees for data delivery across a network, wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface includes a client library that automatically infers a maximum message size M from a message type specified by a publisher when the publisher comes online; and 
 a processor and a global resource manager executing on the processor for receiving quality of service requests from the subscribers, for evaluating the requests, and for dynamically reconfiguring network resources to provide the requested quality of service guarantees, wherein a publisher specifies, via the publish-subscribe middleware interface, a minimum separation in time, minSep, between messages published to a topic and the message type of the messages, and wherein the global resource manager includes a flow scheduler that configures a rate limiter for the publisher that limits the rate at which the publisher can publish messages onto the network to a rate equal to M/minSep. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface is configured to allow publishers and subscribers to request timing guarantees for data delivery across the network and wherein the global resource manager is adapted to reconfigure the network resources to meet the timing guarantees. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12  wherein the global resource manager includes an OpenFlow controller for dynamically reconfiguring the network resources in response to the requests. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface is usable by new publishers and subscribers to an open network to join and leave the network in real time while the network is operational and have quality of service guarantees on communications between the publishers and subscribers. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12  wherein the global resource manager is adapted to dynamically reconfigure network resources with rate limiters to limit communications involved in a time critical transmission when a client becomes faulty and begins consuming more resources than initially requested via the publish-subscribe middleware interface. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 12  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface and the global resource manager allow best effort traffic to transparently share the network with time critical traffic by automatically mapping best effort traffic to a lower priority than time critical traffic. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 12  wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface responds to subscribers to indicate whether or not a network configuration that will ensure the requested quality of service can be generated. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 12  comprising at least one client that uses the publish-subscribe middleware interface to request a quality of service guarantee from the global resource manager. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the at least one client comprises a patient vital sign monitor that functions as a publisher of patient vital sign measurements. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 19  wherein the at least one client comprises a power grid sensor that publishes power grid measurements. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 19  wherein the client comprises a cloud computing application that uses distributed computing resources and requests a quality of service guarantee for communications between the distributed computing resources. 
     
     
       23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:
 providing a publish-subscribe middleware interface usable by publishers and subscribers to request quality of service guarantees for data delivery across a network, wherein the publish-subscribe middleware interface includes a client library that automatically infers a maximum message size M from a message type specified by a publisher when the publisher comes online; and 
 providing a global resource manager for receiving quality of service requests from the subscribers, for evaluating the requests, and for dynamically reconfiguring network resources to provide the requested quality of service guarantees, wherein a publisher specifies, via the publish-subscribe middleware interface, a minimum separation in time, minSep, between messages published to a topic and the message type of the messages, and wherein the global resource manager includes a flow scheduler that configures a rate limiter for the publisher that limits the rate at which the publisher can publish messages onto the network to a rate equal to M/minSep.