Cloud computing IBM internship in India

Anton Beloglazov arrived in Melbourne in February 2009 to work under the supervision of Professor Rajkumar Buyya in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering.

His doctoral thesis examines the efficiency of energy and performance in virtualised data centres for Cloud computing. For the uninitiated, Cloud is the term used to describe internet-based computing where shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand.

“The motivation for my postdoctoral work includes the reduction of operational costs and carbon dioxide emissions,” says Mr Beloglazov, “and the improvement of system reliability. The work will increase the efficiency of Cloud data centres and facilitate further advancements in Cloud computing.”

Two scholarships helped fund the move from Mr Beloglazov’s hometown of Novosibirsk, some 3400km south-east of Moscow, to the University of Melbourne. One was a Melbourne International Research Scholarship, the other an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

A brilliant undergraduate and masters record completed at the Novosibirsk State Technical University secured the scholarships, which in turn saw Mr Beloglazov become the first University of Melbourne student to be awarded an IBM research internship among stiff international competition from thousands of aspirants.

In his work and study at the University of Melbourne, Mr Beloglazov is collaborating with students from New South Wales and Brazil in the Cloud and Distributed Systems Laboratory, an Australian Research Council-funded project being carried out in partnership with the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to produce what is termed ‘CloudSim’, short for the Cloud Computing Simulation Toolkit. This system will allow industry-based developers to focus on specific system design issues.

The IBM internship offers students interested in computer science and technology services the opportunity to join IBM researchers in real work situations in their area of expertise on a range of exploratory and prototyping experiments.

“This international internship is a superb opportunity for Anton,” says Laura Friebel, a partnerships consultant who works in the University of Melbourne’s Knowledge Partnerships Office. “I think that this not only indicates the quality of our students, but the growing strength of the partnership between the University and IBM, and the relevance of our teaching, research and engagement activities for world-leading corporations.”

During the period of his internship, Mr Beloglazov will work at IBM’s Indian research laboratory in Bangalore. He will spend almost 12 weeks there from September to December. The internship stipend will cover accommodation and living expenses.

Jay Hannon, IBM’s University Relations & Development Manager for Australia and New Zealand, explained how the internship will be served. “Anton will work in his area of expertise alongside IBM researchers, live with them, eat with them, travel to meetings and visit clients with them, and be encouraged to make his own recommendations. This is no filing job,” he emphasises. “There’s no doubt he’ll work hard, but it’ll also be great fun, a world-wide adventure.

“I think the experience will be really interesting and stimulating,” says Mr Beloglazov. “I’m expecting that being in India will expose me to new flavours and cultural influences and introduce me to a real work situation I’ve not been involved in before.”

knowledgepartnerships.unimelb.edu.au