分布并发透明的虚拟计算环境程序设计

In virtual computing environment, the multicore and networking technologies brings about new challenges to currently mainstream programming techniques, which are mainly based on imperative programming languages and best targeted for Von Neumann machine. Multicore and networked computing environment has powerful paralell computing capabilies. However, it is hard to write and execute programs that can fully utilize these capabilies in cost-effective manner. This project aims at developping new distribution and concurrency transparent programming technoglies and the corresponding runtime supporting infrastructure for network-based virtual computing environment. With the help of this project, programmers of virtual computing environment can write concurrent programs that can transparently be executed for networked notes as effectively and easily as traditional C programmers write sequential programs for Von Neumann machine. This project will be carried on top of an existing industry-level open source programming platform named Erlang/OTP. Erlang/OTP is designed for supporting massively concurrent programming in closed network environment. It has functional programming model and message-based process communication facilies. This project will introduce entity modelling facilities into Erlang and design concurrent programming models for open networked virtual computing environment, build up the corresponding runtime infrastructure based on a cluster of extended Erlang/OTP nodes. The output of this project will include a new Erlang-based concurrency and distribution transparent programming facility, an Erlang/OTP-based program operating platform for virtual computing environment, and a set of concurrent and distributed programming tools and technologies. All the source code of this project will be licensed open-source. The tools are expected to be applied in the Internet-based Virtual Computing Environment(iVCE), Internetware, and cloud computing environment.

虚拟计算环境中处理器多核化、网络化对主流基于冯o诺依曼硬件体系、以命令式语言为主体的程序设计技术在程序高效编写和执行方面提出新的挑战。本课题针对面向网络的虚拟计算环境，研究支持透明分布并发的程序设计及运行支撑环境关键技术，目标是使得虚拟计算环境程序员可以象现在编写单任务程序那样，较容易地编写可透明分布执行的并发程序，并支持其高效运行。课题拟采用基于开源Erlang/OTP平台进行语言扩展和平台设计的技术方案，利用Erlang语言已有的函数式编程和进程交互机制，引入实体建模设施并设计分布并发透明的编程模型，建立基于Erlang虚拟机集群的运行支持设施。课题预期成果包括一个基于Erlang的分布并发透明的程序设计设施，一个基于Erlang/OTP的面向虚拟计算环境的程序运行平台，一套分布并发程序开发技术与方法。本课题的所有技术代码均将开源，并应用于虚拟计算环境、网构软件、云计算环境等。

随着计算机网络不断连接各种分布资源、形成全球泛在的“统一的计算机”、“虚拟计算环境”的时候，原有的程序难以像以往那样轻易地在新的硬件上获得性能加速，亟需研究与开发面向多核多处理器、面向网络多处理机的新型程序开发技术与工具。本课题开展分布并发透明的虚拟计算环境程序设计技术研究，目标是针对多核化、网络化等硬件变革带来的分布并发程序设计需求，研究新型程序设计语言设施及支撑环境关键技术，使得程序员可以像现在编写单任务程序那样，较容易地编写可透明分布执行的并发程序，并通过运行支撑环境进行自动化的任务调度和任务可靠性保障，降低分布并发应用的开发、管理、维护难度，提高编程效率。.本课题主要结果是一种基于Actor 模型的弹性编程技术及相关支持系统与工具。设计了基于Erlang语言、支持透明分布与动态伸缩的编程设施Uni_supervisor，实现了一套支持多种编程模型的开源弹性计算平台UniAS，该平台可以很好地支持高并发应用、弹性流处理应用、简单并行应用实现弹性伸缩支持，目前已经在课题组所在实验室的大数据处理平台中得到了应用，简化了多类分布并发应用的开发。