INDUSTRY

Grid computing is one of the most exciting developments in information technology, providing users with enormous gains in power and resources at a minimal cost. But its success led to the development of different systems for Grid computing. The result? Grids can't conveniently talk to each other. The problem is compounded by the different strengths of operating systems, such as Globus and UNICORE, that help manage a network of many separate computers called a Grid. "Globus is great for running 100s or 1000s of Linux PCs, but it's not something you can use from your Windows PC, it takes a major implementation. UNICORE on the other hand, work like a browser, is easy to install and works great for connecting to supercomputers or small local Grids," says Daniel Mallmann coordinator of the IST-funded UniGrids project. Scientists and business need both types of operating system to get the maximum benefit from Grids. Now they have it. Grids have their own way of meshing together Grids that use different operating systems. Instead of developing individual translators for each Grid operating system UniGrids developed an interoperability layer called the UniGrids Atomic Services, enabling different Grids to function as one. Atomic Services allow the exchange of data and job information between different Grid systems and give a single client access to different Grid infrastructures. The UniGrids Atomic Services allow for the development of Grid applications independent of the underlying Grid infrastructure. It's one of the most impressive achievements of the UniGrids project, but it is only one of many. UniGrids used and extended the UNICORE Grid operating system, and made it compatible with the emerging, official Open Grid Service Architecture (OGSA) standards. In addition to developing the interoperability layer, the team had a large role in the development of emerging standards for Grid computing, and worked with all the major standard-setting bodies, like the Global Grid Forum (GGF) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). One of the most important efforts by the group, in terms of the commercial viability of grids, was their work on Grid economics. Grids offer an amazing computer potential for business, where they can rent enormous computing, software and hardware resources when they need them, lowering material costs on the one hand, yet providing huge resources on the other. UniGrids developing brokering software that enables accounting of the Grid resources taken by a user. "We didn't develop a commercial brokering software, but our work did move in that direction," says Mallmann. The work has enormous influence both globally and across the continent. "We wanted to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current Grid technology," says Mallmann. "Scientists have told us that our work now allows them to do things they couldn't do before. Where before they might be able to study the genes of a fruit fly, now they can do genetic studies on humans." Now the software developed by UniGrids will be the base of the next version of UNICORE, which should receive its alpha release in July with the final version available by the end of 2007. In the meantime, Grids can now start talking together.