TARA: Tenant-Aware Resource Allocation in Multi-Tenant Data Centers

Multi-Tenant Data Centers (MTDCs) allocate resources to tenants in terms of processors, memory, and storage. However, equal allocation of network resources is often overlooked, leading to unpredictable application performance. To address this issue, we propose Tenant-Aware Resource Allocation (TARA), a virtual resource allocation mechanism for MTDCs. TARA allocates tenants’ virtual network resources as virtual ports on the substrate physical network, enabling control and management by dedicated controllers. In this paper, we introduce a classification method for virtual nodes within Virtual Data Centers (VDCs) aimed at ensuring optimal network performance based on tenant demands. Furthermore, we present a source routing mechanism that utilizes path tables to minimize traffic forwarding delays and enhance network workload efficiency. The TARA model optimizes virtual resource allocation, enhances network performance, and simplifies virtual network resource management. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of the TARA system in improving network performance and meeting tenants’ quality of service requirements.