Optimizing scientific workflow scheduling in cloud computing: a multi-level approach using whale optimization algorithm

Abstract Cloud computing has evolved into an indispensable tool for facilitating scientific research due to its ability to efficiently distribute and process workloads in a virtual environment. Scientific tasks that involve complicated task dependencies and user-defined constraints related to quality of service (QoS) and time constraints require the efficient use of cloud resources. Planning these scientific workflow tasks represents an NP-complete problem, prompting researchers to explore various solutions, including conventional planners and evolutionary optimization algorithms. In this study, we present a novel, multistage algorithm specifically designed to schedule scientific workflows in cloud computing contexts. This approach addresses the challenges of efficiently mapping complex workflows onto distributed cloud resources while considering factors like resource heterogeneity, dynamic workloads, and stringent performance requirements. The algorithm uses the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) with a two-phase approach to shorten execution time, minimize financial costs, and effectively maintain load balancing.