Multi-cloud Environment Research Articles

DECOMICS, a shiny application for unsupervised cell type deconvolution and biological interpretation of bulk omic data.

Unsupervised deconvolution algorithms are often used to estimate cell composition from bulk tissue samples. However, applying cell-type deconvolution and interpreting the results remain a challenge, even more without prior training in bioinformatics. Here, we propose a tool for estimating and identifying cell type composition from bulk transcriptomes or methylomes. DECOMICS is a shiny-web application dedicated to unsupervised deconvolution approaches of bulk omic data. It provides (i) a variety of existing algorithms to perform deconvolution on the gene expression or methylation-level matrix, (ii) an enrichment analysis module to aid biological interpretation of the deconvolved components, based on enrichment analysis, and (iii) some visualization tools. Input data can be downloaded in csv format and preprocessed in the web application (normalization, transformation, and feature selection). The results of the deconvolution, enrichment, and visualization processes can be downloaded. DECOMICS is an R-shiny web application that can be launched (i) directly from a local R session using the R package available here: https://gitlab.in2p3.fr/Magali.Richard/decomics (either by installing it locally or via a virtual machine and a Docker image that we provide); or (ii) in the Biosphere-IFB Clouds Federation for Life Science, a multi-cloud environment scalable for high-performance computing: https://biosphere.france-bioinformatique.fr/catalogue/appliance/193/.

Multi-Objective Prioritized Task Scheduler Using Improved Asynchronous Advantage Actor Critic (a3c) Algorithm in Multi Cloud Environment

Multi-Objective Prioritized Task Scheduler Using Improved Asynchronous Advantage Actor Critic (a3c) Algorithm in Multi Cloud Environment

Task scheduling in multi-cloud environment via improved optimisation theory

Task scheduling in multi-cloud environment via improved optimisation theory

Best Practices for Data Governance and Security in a Multi-Cloud Environment

Best Practices for Data Governance and Security in a Multi-Cloud Environment

MulticloudFL: Adaptive Federated Learning for Improving Forecasting Accuracy in Multi-Cloud Environments

Cloud computing and relevant emerging technologies have presented ordinary methods for processing edge-produced data in a centralized manner. Presently, there is a tendency to offload processing tasks as close to the edge as possible to reduce the costs and network bandwidth used. In this direction, we find efforts that materialize this paradigm by introducing distributed deep learning methods and the so-called Federated Learning (FL). Such distributed architectures are valuable assets in terms of efficiently managing resources and eliciting predictions that can be used for proactive adaptation of distributed applications. In this work, we focus on deep learning local loss functions in multi-cloud environments. We introduce the MulticloudFL system that enhances the forecasting accuracy, in dynamic settings, by applying two new methods that enhance the prediction accuracy in applications and resources monitoring metrics. The proposed algorithm’s performance is evaluated via various experiments that confirm the quality and benefits of the MulticloudFL system, as it improves the prediction accuracy on time-series data while reducing the bandwidth requirements and privacy risks during the training process.

Cost-Effective Resource Allocation and Optimization Strategies for Multi-Cloud Environments

Abstract: As organizations increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies to leverage the benefits of multiple cloud service providers, the need for effective cost optimization becomes paramount. This research paper aims to explore and propose innovative approaches for optimizing costs in multi-cloud environments. The study will investigate resource allocation, workload placement, and performance optimization techniques, taking into account factors such as workload variability, service-level agreements (SLAs), and pricing models across different cloud providers. The objective is to develop cost-effective strategies that balance performance and cost across a heterogeneous cloud ecosystem, ultimately helping organizations make informed decisions in their multi-cloud deployments. This research topic addresses the growing interest in multi-cloud architectures and the associated challenges in managing costs while ensuring high-quality service delivery. It provides a valuable contribution to the field of cloud computing and cost optimization, which is increasingly crucial for businesses and enterprises seeking to maximize the benefits of cloud technology.

MicroFog: A framework for scalable placement of microservices-based IoT applications in federated Fog environments

MicroService Architecture (MSA) is gaining rapid popularity for developing large-scale IoT applications for deployment within distributed and resource-constrained Fog computing environments. As a cloud-native application architecture, the true power of microservices comes from their loosely coupled, independently deployable and scalable nature, enabling distributed placement and dynamic composition across federated Fog and Cloud clusters. Thus, it is necessary to develop novel placement algorithms that utilise these microservice characteristics to improve the performance of the applications. However, existing Fog computing frameworks lack support for integrating such placement policies due to their shortcomings in multiple areas, including MSA application placement and deployment across multi-fog multi-cloud environments, dynamic microservice composition across multiple distributed clusters, scalability of the framework to operate within federated environments, support for deploying heterogeneous microservice applications, etc. To this end, we design and implement MicroFog, a Fog computing framework compatible with cloud-native technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes and Istio. MicroFog provides an extensible and configurable control engine that executes placement algorithms and deploys applications across federated Fog environments. Furthermore, MicroFog provides a sufficient abstraction over container orchestration and dynamic microservice composition, thus enabling users to easily incorporate new placement policies and evaluate their performance. The capabilities of the MicroFog framework, such as the scalability and flexibility of the design and deployment architecture of MicroFog and its ability to ensure the deployment and composition of microservices across distributed fog–cloud environments, are validated using multiple use cases. Experiments also demonstrate MicroFog’s ability to integrate and evaluate novel placement policies and load-balancing techniques. To this end, we integrate multiple microservice placement policies to demonstrate MicroFog’s ability to support horizontally scaled placement, service discovery and load balancing of microservices across federated environments, thus reducing the application service response time up to 54%.

Evolution of Database Management System in Hybrid and Multi Cloud Platform: Challenges, Solutions and Innovations

The rapid advancement in cloud computing has catalyzed the evolution of database management systems (DBMS), particularly in the context of hybrid and multi-cloud platforms. This review paper examines the transformative journey of DBMS, focusing on the challenges, solutions, and innovations that have emerged in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Key challenges include data consistency, security, latency, and cost management, which are compounded by the heterogeneity and distributed nature of these platforms. The paper discusses state-of-the-art solutions, such as advanced data replication techniques, automated policy-driven management, and robust security protocols, that address these challenges. Furthermore, it highlights groundbreaking innovations in database architecture, including cloud-native DBMS, serverless databases, and AI-driven database optimization, which are reshaping the landscape. By providing a comprehensive analysis of these developments, this review aims to offer valuable insights into the current trends and future directions of DBMS in hybrid and multi-cloud platforms, serving as a resource for researchers and practitioners in the field.

A Unified Vendor-Agnostic Solution for Big Data Stream Processing in a Multi-Cloud Environment

A Unified Vendor-Agnostic Solution for Big Data Stream Processing in a Multi-Cloud Environment

Secure transmission of medical images in multi-cloud e-healthcare applications using data hiding scheme

In recent years, medical image transmission using a multi-cloud system has played a significant role in e-Healthcare infrastructure. It allows medical practitioners to easily store, retrieve, and share patients’ medical information across multiple stakeholders. However, multi-cloud image transmission may be vulnerable to multiple security breaches, such as authentication, confidentiality, and security issues. Motivated by these issues, this paper proposes a data-hiding scheme for secure medical image transmission in a multi-cloud environment. The proposed scheme ensures imperceptible robustness and watermark security at a low computational cost. Here, the medical image is divided into a number of shares using Neighbor Mean Interpolation (NMI). To achieve confidentiality, Electronic Patient Healthcare Record (EPHR) is encrypted using Double Scan Pixel Position Shuffling (DSPPS) approach. Then, the encrypted EPHR is divided into shares and embedded in the cover medical image shares. Finally, a minimum of 50% of watermarked image shares are utilized to retrieve the original medical image and encrypted EPHR, consequently reducing multi-cloud latency and computational burden. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme shows high imperceptibility, robustness, and watermark security at a low computational cost. Comparative analysis with some of the recent popular data hiding schemes shows that the proposed scheme has improved imperceptibility and robustness by 10%–15% (approximately) with higher watermark security at a low computational cost.

Scheduling Scientific Workflow in Multi-Cloud: A Multi-Objective Minimum Weight Optimization Decision-Making Approach

One of the most difficult aspects of scheduling operations on virtual machines in a multi-cloud environment is determining a near-optimal permutation. This task requires assigning various computing jobs with competing objectives to a collection of virtual machines. A significant number of NP-hard problem optimization methods employ multi-objective algorithms. As a result, one of the most successful criteria for discovering the best Pareto solutions is Pareto dominance. In this study, the Pareto front is calculated using a novel multi-objective minimum weight approach. In particular, we use particle swarm optimization (PSO) to expand the FR-MOS multi-objective scheduling algorithm by using fuzzy resource management to maximize variety and obtain optimal Pareto convergence. The competing objectives include reliability, cost, utilization of resources, risk probability, and time makespan. Most of the previous studies provide numerous symmetry or equivalent solutions as trade-offs for different objectives, and selecting the optimum solution remains an issue. We propose a novel decision-making strategy named minimum weight optimization (MWO). Multi-objective algorithms use this method to select a set of permutations that provide the best trade-off between competing objectives. MWO is a suitable choice for attaining all optimal solutions, where both the needs of consumers and the interests of service providers are taken into consideration. (MWO) aims to find the best solution by comparing alternative weights, narrowing the search for an optimal solution through iterative refinement. We compare our proposed method to five distinct decision-making procedures using common scientific workflows with competing objectives: Pareto dominance, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), linear normalization I, linear normalization II, and weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS). MWO outperforms these strategies according to the results of this study.

Fault tolerant trust based task scheduler using Harris Hawks optimization and deep reinforcement learning in multi cloud environment

Cloud Computing model provides on demand delivery of seamless services to customers around the world yet single point of failures occurs in cloud model due to improper assignment of tasks to precise virtual machines which leads to increase in rate of failures which effects SLA based trust parameters (Availability, success rate, turnaround efficiency) upon which impacts trust on cloud provider. In this paper, we proposed a task scheduling algorithm which captures priorities of all tasks, virtual resources from task manager which comes onto cloud application console are fed to task scheduler which takes scheduling decisions based on hybridization of both Harris hawk optimization and ML based reinforcement algorithms to enhance the scheduling process. Task scheduling in this research performed in two phases i.e. Task selection and task mapping phases. In task selection phase, all incoming priorities of tasks, VMs are captured and generates schedules using Harris hawks optimization. In task mapping phase, generated schedules are optimized using a DQN model which is based on deep reinforcement learning. In this research, we used multi cloud environment to tackle availability of VMs if there is an increase in upcoming tasks dynamically and migrate tasks to one cloud to another to mitigate migration time. Extensive simulations are conducted in Cloudsim and workload generated by fabricated datasets and realtime synthetic workloads from NASA, HPC2N are used to check efficacy of our proposed scheduler (FTTHDRL). It compared against existing task schedulers i.e. MOABCQ, RATS-HM, AINN-BPSO approaches and our proposed FTTHDRL outperforms existing mechanisms by minimizing rate of failures, resource cost, improved SLA based trust parameters.

Adaptive golden eagle optimization based multi-objective scientific workflow scheduling on multi-cloud environment

Adaptive golden eagle optimization based multi-objective scientific workflow scheduling on multi-cloud environment

The Role of Cloud Service Brokers: Enhancing Security and Compliance in Multi-cloud Environments


 The goal of this study is to put encryption key management strategies into practice while taking legal restrictions and the necessity for data accessibility into account. In order to reduce the danger of unauthorized access to cloud resources, this article explores the creation of Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions that successfully apply role-based access control and abide by the least privilege principle. The advancement of digital business is both facilitated and disrupted by the usage of cloud technologies. Spending on cloud computing platforms and infrastructure is expected to rise significantly, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% predicted for the period between 2013 and 2018. In comparison, the corporate IT industry as a whole is anticipated to develop at a rate that is quite slow—5%. Additionally, an increasing number of businesses—precisely 85%—are seeing the benefits of using several cloud platforms to boost employee productivity, encourage collaboration, and spur corporate innovation. Regulations and standards are quite complicated, with possibilities for repetition and occasionally discrepancies. Utilizing existing standard models, patterns, architectures, and best practices is one efficient way to manage the difficulties brought on by compliance complexity, uncertainties, and overlaps. Examining regulatory practices and looking for overlaps have been efforts.

An Efficient Attribute-Based Encryption Scheme with Data Security Classification in the Multi-Cloud Environment

As an increasing number of people and corporations move their data to the cloud side, how to ensure efficient and secure access to data stored on the cloud side has become a key focus of current research. Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) is largely recognized as the best access control method for safeguarding the cloud storage environment, and numerous solutions based on ABE have been developed successively. However, the majority of current research is conducted within a single cloud provider, and only the limited number of schemes for the multi-cloud environment also fail to support the data security classification on the cloud side. Therefore, we propose an efficient attribute-based encryption scheme with data security classification in the multi-cloud environment. In our scheme, the data owner’s data are divided into two security levels and stored in different cloud providers, which improves the security of outsourcing data. Moreover, based on Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryption (CP-ABE), our scheme can not only provide a fine-grained access control for the data user, but also completely exploit the cloud side to facilitate outsourcing decryption to lighten the data user’s computing load. The security analysis showed that our scheme is effective against selective-attribute plaintext attack, as well as protects the privacy of the data. The experimental results also demonstrated that the computational overhead is obviously less than other existing schemes.

Prototyping of Utilization Model for KOMPSAT-3/3A Analysis Ready Data Based on the Open Data Cube Platform in Multi-Cloud Computing Environment: A Case Study

This study introduces a multi-cloud model that combines private and public cloud services for processing and managing satellite images. The multi-cloud service is established by incorporating private clouds within organizations and integrating them with external public cloud services to utilize the data. Private clouds can maintain data security within an organization or between organizations, while public clouds offer easy processing options for general users with access accounts. The model for the private cloud service utilizes open-source OpenStack software to create virtual machines, allowing users to manage analysis ready data (ARD) of the Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT)-3/3A images simultaneously. The public cloud service through Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers four services and uses the Open Data Cube (ODC) to manage data and provide web-based time-series visualization and processing. The model utilizes OpenStack to create virtual machines, and the public cloud service through AWS offers various services using ODC to manage data. A system that handles large amounts of satellite imagery in a multi-cloud environment has benefits such as improved availability, cost savings through open-source, and enhanced scalability. We present a prototyped utilization model that can be used with the ODC user interface (UI) that applies the proposed multi-cloud model. The multi-cloud model of this study can be applied to constructing a country-scale data cube system, that deals with large-scale satellite image data. It can also be applied to systems that need to be built with data that is tailored to a specific user’s needs at any institution.

SRE and DevOps: Monitoring and Incident Response in Multi-Cloud Environments

SRE and DevOps: Monitoring and Incident Response in Multi-Cloud Environments

Meteorological data layout and task scheduling in a multi-cloud environment

The meteorological cloud mainly provides computing ability and meteorological datasets for meteorological model tasks. If the location of the required dataset and the execution location of the task are different, this will consume a large amount of time and bandwidth to transfer the data for the task. Meteorological data layout allocates meteorological datasets to various clouds. Because meteorological datasets are required by multiple meteorological model tasks and multiple times, the data layout is very important in the meteorological clouds. This paper focuses on how to layout out the meteorological datasets based on the association (internal meteorological datasets and between meteorological model tasks) and schedule resources for meteorological model tasks in the meteorological cloud. First, to find the association in the meteorological datasets and meteorological models, we use Apriori algorithm to mine frequent itemsets between datasets used by different meteorological models, and then we use the result to help layout meteorological data. After that, we present a heuristic algorithm for scheduling meteorological tasks. Finally, simulation comparison shows that the meteorological data layout method has a lowest value in the number of involved clouds for every task, the average size of transmitted datasets from other clouds, and the average time of transmitted datasets between clouds. We also prove that the scheduling method based on the data layout increases the number of completed tasks before their deadlines and reduces the average execution time.

Data-intensive workflow scheduling strategy based on deep reinforcement learning in multi-clouds

With the increase development of Internet of Things devices, the data-intensive workflow has emerged as a new kinds of representation for IoT applications. Because most IoT systems are structured in multi-clouds environment and the data-intensive workflow has the characteristics of scattered data sources and distributed execution requirements at the cloud center and edge clouds, it brings many challenges to the scheduling of such workflow, such as data flow control management, data transmission scheduling, etc. Aiming at the execution constraints of business and technology and data transmission optimization of data-intensive workflow, a data-intensive workflow scheduling method based on deep reinforcement learning in multi-clouds is proposed. First, the execution constraints, edge node load and data transmission volume of IoT data workflow are modeled; then the data-intensive workflow is segmented with the consideration of business constraints and the first optimization goal of data transmission; besides, taking the workflow execution time and average load balancing as the secondary optimization goal, the improved DQN algorithm is used to schedule the workflow. Based on the DQN algorithm, the model reward function and action selection are redesigned and improved. The simulation results based on WorkflowSim show that, compared with MOPSO, NSGA-II, GTBGA and DQN, the algorithm proposed in this paper can effectively reduce the execution time of IoT data workflow under the condition of ensuring the execution constraints and load balancing of multi-clouds.

COCAM: a cooperative video edge caching and multicasting approach based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning in multi-clouds environment

The evolution of the Internet of Things technology (IoT) has boosted the drastic increase in network traffic demand. Caching and multicasting in the multi-clouds scenario are effective approaches to alleviate the backhaul burden of networks and reduce service latency. However, existing works do not jointly exploit the advantages of these two approaches. In this paper, we propose COCAM, a cooperative video edge caching and multicasting approach based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning to minimize the transmission number in the multi-clouds scenario with limited storage capacity in each edge cloud. Specifically, by integrating a cooperative transmission model with the caching model, we provide a concrete formulation of the joint problem. Then, we cast this decision-making problem as a multi-agent extension of the Markov decision process and propose a multi-agent actor-critic algorithm in which each agent learns a local caching strategy and further encompasses the observations of neighboring agents as constituents of the overall state. Finally, to validate the COCAM algorithm, we conduct extensive experiments on a real-world dataset. The results show that our proposed algorithm outperforms other baseline algorithms in terms of the number of video transmissions.Graphical