The objective of SFB 901 – On-The-Fly Computing (OTF Computing) – is to develop techniques and processes for automatic on-the-fly configuration and provision of individual IT services out of base services that are available on world-wide markets. In addition to the configuration by special OTF service providers and the provision by what are called OTF Compute Centers, this involves developing methods for quality assurance and the protection of participating clients and providers, methods for the target-oriented further development of markets, and methods to support the interaction of the participants in dynamically changing markets.
(Further information can be found on the SFB 901 website).

The SFB is structurally divided into three scientific project areas A, B and C. The chair is involved in subproject A3 (The market for services: Incentives, algorithms, implementation): We model and analyze the market for composed services. The term "market" describes the "organization of economic interaction" between the different participants. To understand participants' incentives and the evolution of the market, we need to take into account specific characteristics of "On-The-Fly Computing". These include

• the possible trade relations between OTF provider and service provider that result from the technical composability of services,
• competition among service providers and among OTF providers, and
• imperfectly observable service quality.

(Further information can be found on the A3 website).

See also workshop on Markets, Games & Design 2012.