KeyPIn – mitigating the free rider problem in the distributed cloud based on Key, Participation, and Incentive

Abstract

Abstract In a distributed cloud, unlike centralized resource management, users provide and share resources. However, this allows for the existence of free riders who do not provide resources to others, but at the same time use resources that others provide. In a distributed cloud, resource providers share resources in a P2P fashion. In this paper, we propose a 3-pronged solution KeyPIn—a Key-based, Participation-based, and Incentive-based scheme to mitigate the free rider problem in a distributed cloud environment. We propose an incentive-based scheme based on game theory for providers to participate in the cloud by providing resources. This participation will be low for free riders thereby limiting their access to resources. A secure time instant key is generated based on a key management scheme that enables good users’ more time to access resources as their participation is high, whereas free riders are given limited or no time as their participation is low. Simulation results show that our scheme is effective in mitigating the free rider problem in the distributed cloud.

Keywords

• Distributed cloud
• Free rider
• Game theory
• Trust
• Participation
• Key