grid computing

Grid computing requires the use of software that can divide and farm out pieces of a program to as many as several thousand computers. Grid computing can be thought of as distributed and large-scale cluster computing and as a form of network-distributed parallel processing. It can be confined to the network of computer workstations within a corporation or it can be a public collaboration (in which case it is also sometimes known as a form of peer-to-peer computing).

A number of corporations, professional groups, university consortiums, and other groups have developed or are developing frameworks and software for managing grid computing projects. The European Community (EU) is sponsoring a project for a grid for high-energy physics, earth observation, and biology applications. In the United States, the National Technology Grid is prototyping a computational grid for infrastructure and an access grid for people. Sun Microsystems offers Grid Engine software. Described as a distributed resource management (DRM) tool, Grid Engine allows engineers at companies like Sony and Synopsys to pool the computer cycles on up to 80 workstations at a time. (At this scale, grid computing can be seen as a more extreme case of load balancing.)

Grid computing appears to be a promising trend for three reasons: (1) its ability to make more cost-effective use of a given amount of computer resources, (2) as a way to solve problems that can't be approached without an enormous amount of computing power, and (3) because it suggests that the resources of many computers can be cooperatively and perhaps synergistically harnessed and managed as a collaboration toward a common objective. In some grid computing systems, the computers may collaborate rather than being directed by one managing computer. One likely area for the use of grid computing will be pervasive computing applications - those in which computers pervade our environment without our necessary awareness.

Getting started with grid computing

To explore how grid computing is used in the enterprise, here are some additional resources:

High performance computing fast guide: In this guide, you'll find resources on data center applications for grid clusters, including advice on integrating mainframes and Web services into your grid computing strategy.

Learning Guide: Data Center Systems Management

Q&A: Computer Measurement Group teaches IT forecasting, modeling.

Learn more about Cloud Computing, grid and utility computing

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know. Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

More resources from around the web: - SearchCIO.com hosts a webcast called The Power of the Grid (free registration required). - Sun Microsystems provides a press release about its Grid Engine. - "Harnessing the Power of Grid Computing" describes simulations involving Einstein's General Relativity equations. - In this column, Ian Foster discusses grid computing and what it's all about. - On SearchCIO.com, Carol Hildebrand writes about "The possibilities for grid computing in the corporate world."

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