Grid

Synonyms

Computational grid; Data grid; Computational infrastructure

Definition

Grid computing is a model for organizing large-scale computation and data management such that process execution tasks are distributed across many network computers, and data transmission occurs over high-speed parallel network connections, in a system that resembles parallel computer architecture. Grids rely on “resource virtualization”, that is, organize different locally‐managed processing and data nodes as relatively homogeneous “grid resources” that follow open standards and enable quality of service through resource sharing and service-level agreements.

Main Text

Grid computing is defined via a series of specifications being developed within the Open Grid Forum (OGF), a collaboration between industry and academia. Globus Toolkit is a middleware component implementing OGF standards. Initial ideas of grids, and grid service specifications, have been explored in seminal articles by Ian Foster, Carl...