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Calls & Context
GRIDs
What is the GRID?
The GRID is a software and hardware infrastructure which functions on top of a conventional network. It has certain specific features and properties which aim to deliver qualitatively new functionality to the end-users. The resources managed by the GRID (computing power, data, sensors, equipment, etc.) can be distributed worldwide and can be of completely heterogeneous nature. They can have an immense size, be on a large scale or of immense numbers. These resources are usually managed by administratively independent and diverse organisations. The goal is to provide a shared, integrated, collaborative, reliable and secure use of the resources to diverse communities of users also distributed worldwide. The GRID operates from and to diverse platforms, but provides unified services via unified interfaces. In the long term, the GRID is expected to be easily accessible from practically everywhere and economically viable for a broad public.
Depending on the functionality it is possible to consider several types of GRIDs:
- Computational GRIDs
- Aggregate computing power;
- Make available distributed computing resources to create a giant virtual computer;
- Enable scientific modelling - distributed parallel computing;
- Enable industrial design - high throughput computing.
- Data GRIDs
- Management and analysis of shared large-scale databases;
- Create catalogues of databases;
- Create virtual databases.
- Service GRIDs
- Collaborative GRIDs - do processing in real time. Data is collected from physically dispersed laboratories and then combined, analysed, visualised and managed. This enables the remote control of equipment, sensors, etc. and creates a virtual observatory or laboratory.
- Multimedia GRIDs - virtual reality and tele-immersion;
- On demand GRIDs - dynamically aggregate resources to provide specific services.
The GRID has four basic components:
- Fabric:
- computer power, storage devices and databases, scientific instruments and equipment providing input data or manipulating the environment, etc. are connected by heterogeneous computer networks.
- Middleware:
- software components
- Development tools
- Applications and portals
GRID research at European level
The European R&D Community as well as policy makers recognised the potential of GRID technology for the e-economy at an early stage of its development. The World Wide GRID was included as an important Action Item in the eEurope 2002 Action Plan which gave the European GRID effort significant political background and visibility.
GRID research supported by the European Commission is an evolving process. It started in early 2000 in the IST Programme with three projects (DATAGRID, EUROGRID and DAMIEN) funded in Research Networking for a total of €13 M. In 2001 it continued through a Cross-Programme Action, CPA9 (See relevant page). Also in 2001 the cluster project GRIDSTART was launched by Research Networking with total funding of €1,5 M. GRID initiatives expanded significantly within CPA9 in 2002. To date, the IST Programme has granted total funding of approximately €46 M for projects in the area of GRID technology and applications.
Within the context of the Sixth Framework Programme, the EC is developing a broader vision on GRID technology. The goal is to create a pan-European infrastructure on top of the GEANT network which is based on GRID-architectures with the objective to support the European Research Area (ERA). Therefore research on GRID technology and its applications are expected to increase significantly in FP6. It is one of the major objectives, both as one of the seven Priority Thematic Areas: Information Society Technologies, and in Structuring the European Research Area: Research Infrastructures.
Why is GRIDs a priority area?
GRID technologies have the potential to:
- Facilitate the interconnection of a large range of heterogeneous devices to the Internet and to enable the delivery of a new class of services. The GRID provides solutions to the immense data communication and data access requirements that arise in this context.
- Strengthen the role of the network in providing anywhere, anytime an immense variety of services to the user. In this way it leads to a closer convergence between computing and communication technologies.
- Make computing and data resources which are distributed worldwide and available seamlessly as a single resource via the Internet
- Introduce revolutionary new models of doing work and business over the Internet based on virtual organisations and global collaborations.
- Play a major role in strengthening European competitiveness in research, industry and business.
International aspects
The initiatives of the European Commission in the area of GRIDs are complementary to national efforts in the member states. A major priority is to foster global awareness and strong intercontinental co-operation. There is also a strong European presence and intensive collaboration at the Global GRID Forum. Another example is the DataTag project whose main objective is to build a transatlantic test-bed. This initiative is co-funded by the NSF and establishes an operational co-operation with other US GRID related projects. The project DataGrid (considered as the "flagship" of the current EU effort on GRIDs), as well as the majority of the GRID projects within the IST Programme, follow an "open source" approach, a policy strongly supported by the EC.
GEANT and GRIDs
The role of GEANT is crucial in the development of GRIDs in Europe because it provides the main underlying connectivity platform enabling cross-border experimentation and validation of technology. Operating today in speeds of 10 Gbps, the fastest large-scale research networking in the world, the GEANT network is a key enabler for GRID infrastructures.
Application areas
Aeronautics
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Bioinformatics
Chemistry
Climatology
Cosmology
Earth observations
Earthquake studies
E-learning
Environment management
Fluid dynamics
Genomics
Geology
High energy physics
Industrial design
Medicine
Meteorology
Molecular engineering
Pharmacology