This thesis is predicated upon a vision of the future of computing with a separation of functionality between core and edges, very similar to that governing the Internet itself. In this vision, the core of our computing infrastructure is made up of vast server farms with an abundance of storage and processing cycles. Centralization of computation in these farms, coupled with high-speed wired or wireless connectivity, allows for pervasive access to a highly-available and well-maintained repository for data, configurations, and applications. Computation in the edges is concerned with provisioning application state and user data to rich clients, notably mobile devices equipped with powerful displays and graphics processors. We define flexible computing as systems support for applications that dynamically leverage the resources available in the core infrastructure, or cloud. The work in this thesis focuses on two instances of flexible computing that are crucial to the realization of the aforementioned vision. Location flexibility aims to, transparently and seamlessly, migrate applications between the edges and the core based on user demand. This enables performing the interactive tasks on rich edge clients and the computational tasks on powerful core servers. Scale flexibility is the ability of applications executing in cloud environments, such as parallel jobs or clustered servers, to swiftly grow and shrink their footprint according to execution demands. This thesis shows how we can use system virtualization to implement systems that provide scale and location flexibility. To that effect we build and evaluate two system prototypes: Snowbird and SnowFlock. We present techniques for manipulating virtual machine state that turn running software into a malleable entity which is easily manageable, is decoupled from the underlying hardware, and is capable of dynamic relocation and scaling. This thesis demonstrates that virtualization technology is a powerful and suitable tool to enable solutions for location and scale flexibility.

This thesis is predicated upon a vision of the future of computing with a separation of functionality between core and edges, very similar to that governing the Internet itself. In this vision, the core of our computing infrastructure is made up of vast server farms with an abundance of storage and processing cycles. Centralization of computation in these farms, coupled with high-speed wired or wireless connectivity, allows for pervasive access to a highly-available and well-maintained repository for data, configurations, and applications. Computation in the edges is concerned with provisioning application state and user data to rich clients, notably mobile devices equipped with powerful displays and graphics processors. We define flexible computing as systems support for applications that dynamically leverage the resources available in the core infrastructure, or cloud. The work in this thesis focuses on two instances of flexible computing that are crucial to the realization of the aforementioned vision. Location flexibility aims to, transparently and seamlessly, migrate applications between the edges and the core based on user demand. This enables performing the interactive tasks on rich edge clients and the computational tasks on powerful core servers. Scale flexibility is the ability of applications executing in cloud environments, such as parallel jobs or clustered servers, to swiftly grow and shrink their footprint according to execution demands. This thesis shows how we can use system virtualization to implement systems that provide scale and location flexibility. To that effect we build and evaluate two system prototypes: Snowbird and SnowFlock. We present techniques for manipulating virtual machine state that turn running software into a malleable entity which is easily manageable, is decoupled from the underlying hardware, and is capable of dynamic relocation and scaling. This thesis demonstrates that virtualization technology is a powerful and suitable tool to enable solutions for location and scale flexibility.

This thesis presents a comparison among two different open-source company-solutions, taking into account the cost, performance and functionality. The compared open-source solutions are: LTSP and Openthinclient. The thesis also explains the normal client/server environment, fat- and thin-client environments and the concept of cloud computing. Giving a final answer to which product is the best is a challenging task since they both have strong and weak sides. Depending on what the customer is after when looking to invest into an open-source alternative of thin-client solutions, the result will be different.

The purpose of my master's thesis is to make a proposal for optimalization of desktop infrastructure using virtualization. The master's thesis is divided into three main parts. First one is engaged in theoretical ground about virtualization. Second part is dedicated to analysis of current state of desktop infrastructure in company and the third contains proposal to modernization of existing infrastructure including project management

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are having a rapid and increasing impact on all K-12 schools as school districts attempt, in a myriad of ways, to keep pace with the technological changes taking place in society. Unfortunately, this impact is increasingly a financial one as financial challenges continue to figure among the most extensive barriers to ICT use (Plante & Beattie, 2004). This research explores ICT options that are cost effective to our educational institutions and our communities while maintaining high functioning and sustainable technology for students and educators. Low-cost alternative technologies such as Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) and cloud computing lessen the socio-economic divide between students, encourage the sharing of technological advancements and collaboration and allow teachers to freely and legally give their students access to software necessary for success. In addition to the potential benefits of this technology’s use in an educational setting, this research also addresses the pragmatic aspects of introducing these tools district-wide. Complexity theory is utilized to lend an understanding of how to look at technological changes within the context of society as a whole, within enabling constraints that create the conditions for the emergence of new patterns of teacher, student, task and content interactions. This complexity frame informs themes in the study such as: (1) the importance of forward-thinking technology from recursive feedback loops on decision-making and planning in order to “keep up” with technological changes outside of school, (2) the critical impact educational leaders have on the change environment when both introducing these technologies into a school district and providing enabling conditions so that new ways of teaching and learning with technology can emerge and (3) the effect changing technological systems and support infrastructures have on enabling new teaching and learning processes. / Graduate / 0710 / 0524 / 0533 / katyconnelly@gmail.com