| If you are using the internet from your desktop, | | | | Desktops, laptops, supercomputers and clusters |
| then your computer is part of a network. This | | | | combine to form a grid. All of these computers can |
| network in turn is part of another network. In short, | | | | have different hardware and operating systems. |
| the internet is a networking infrastructure. It was the | | | | Grids are also usually loosely connected in a |
| result of some visionary thinking by the people in the | | | | decentralized network, rather than contained in a |
| early 1960s that saw great potential value in allowing | | | | single location, as computers in a cluster often are. |
| computers to share information on research and | | | | Hence, a grid's flexibility and additional features |
| development in scientific and military fields. Shrinking | | | | distinguish it from its competitors. Moreover, a grid is |
| computer sizes and information sharing services made | | | | built from open standard protocols and interfaces like |
| it possible for every computer in the world to | | | | TCP/IP protocol suite which is important to realize |
| interconnect. The 'World Wide Web' is a service built | | | | internationalization rather than subjugating it to local |
| on top of the internet which enables millions of | | | | limits. |
| computers around the world to share information. | | | | In addition to shared computing power, a grid allows |
| The internet has served well so far but has a few | | | | you to share disk storage, databases and software |
| shortcomings. Scientists and computing experts are | | | | applications. Altogether, this system will be very |
| always on the lookout for the next leap forward. | | | | helpful to people belonging to different categories, |
| The internet allows you to only share information and | | | | ranging from scientists to consumers. Most of the |
| nothing more you can think of apart from that. In | | | | computers in mid size and large size organizations are |
| order to address this issue, the experts have devised | | | | idle for a higher percentage of time. These idle |
| a new system which is called the 'Grid'. A grid | | | | processors can be utilized for other important tasks |
| computing system is a type of parallel computing | | | | by the means of CPU scavenging. Different scientists |
| system which enables us to share computing power, | | | | of the world would like to visualize their applications in |
| disk storage, databases and software applications. | | | | real time rather than wait for ages till their results are |
| The term 'Grid' first appeared in Ian Foster's and Carl | | | | shipped, verified, and then sent back. With the help |
| Kesselman's seminal work - The Grid: Blueprint for a | | | | of grid, people from different fields of expertise will |
| new computing infrastructure. Ian Foster is the | | | | be able to hook up to remote computers and share |
| Associate Division Director in the Mathematics and | | | | their findings. This won't only speed up the process |
| Computer Science Division at Argonne National | | | | but will also produce accurate results. |
| Laboratory (United States), where he leads the | | | | One of the biggest projects on grid is being carried |
| Distributed Systems Laboratory, and he is a | | | | out in Switzerland by the European Organization for |
| Professor in the Department of Computer Science at | | | | Nuclear Research (CERN). Thousands of desktops, |
| the University of Chicago. In one of his articles, Ian | | | | laptops, mobile phones, data vaults, meteorological |
| Foster lists these primary attributes of a Grid: | | | | sensors and telescopes will constitute the biggest grid |
| 1. Computing resources are not administered centrally | | | | which will produce an annual database of roughly 15 |
| 2. Open standards are used | | | | million gigabytes. This event will become possible |
| 3. Significant quality of service is achieved | | | | when two beams of subatomic particles called |
| A grid computing system, also known as a distributed | | | | 'Hadrons', will collide in the 'Large Hadron Collider' - A |
| computing system, relies on computers connected to | | | | gigantic scientific instrument 100 meters underground |
| a network by a conventional network interface like | | | | at Geneva, Switzerland. Thousands of scientists |
| the 'Ethernet' (the port into which you connect your | | | | around the world want to access and analyze this |
| LAN cable). These computers have the capability to | | | | data, so CERN is collaborating with institutions in 33 |
| combine and yield better results than a | | | | different countries to operate a distributed computing |
| supercomputer. These computers are independently | | | | and data storage infrastructure: the LHC Computing |
| controlled, and can perform tasks unrelated to the | | | | Grid (LCG). |
| grid at the operator's concern. This is what Ian | | | | To constantly reap the benefits of such a system, it |
| Foster indicates in the first point of his checklist. | | | | is important to make sure that the computers |
| The striking feature of a grid computing system is | | | | performing the calculations are entirely trustworthy. |
| that it enables sharing of computing power. This is | | | | The designers of the system must thus introduce |
| also known as CPU scavenging in which a computer | | | | measures to prevent malfunctions or malicious |
| steals the unused cycles of any other computer. | | | | participants from producing false, misleading, or |
| These cycles are nothing but the idle times of a | | | | incorrect results, and from using the system as an |
| processor in a computer. Shared computing is the act | | | | attack vector. In a grid, computers drop out either |
| of sharing tasks over multiple computers. In other | | | | voluntarily or due to their failure. |
| words, it is as good as getting the same job done | | | | Many projects over the grid are underway and the |
| from a bunch of people rather than a big strong man. | | | | day is not far when it will be globally implemented. |
| As a result, a task which took days to complete will | | | | But for any new technology to be successful, it |
| be achieved over a relatively small period of time. | | | | needs to be given a chance. Its fate will be in our |
| IBM is currently working on developing a global scale | | | | hands. There is going to be a lot of chaos and |
| supercomputer based on the concept of shared | | | | confusion before the scores are out. The chances |
| computing. They have named it as 'Project | | | | for the grid to emerge as a successful computing |
| Kittyhawk' and it will run the entire internet as an | | | | system are high, and with it our understanding of the |
| application. Shared computing is one of the services | | | | universe is going to change. |
| that a grid will provide. | | | | |