The Cloud Inside The Network: A Virtualization Approach To Resource Allocation

The access infrastructure to the cloud is usually a major drawback that limits the uptake of cloud services. Attention has turned to rethinking a new architectural deployment of the overall cloud service delivery. In this chapter, the authors argue that it is not sufficient to integrate the cloud domain with the operator's network domain based on the current models. They envision a full integration of cloud and network, where cloud resources are no longer confined to a data center but are spread throughout the network and owned by the network operator. In such an environment, challenges arise at different levels, such as in resource management, where both cloud and network resources need to be managed in an integrated approach. The authors particularly address the resource allocation problem through joint virtualization of network and cloud resources by studying and comparing an Integer Linear Programming formulation and a heuristic algorithm.