INDUSTRY

GridIron Software, a developer of Grid computing solutions, announced it will work with IBM to bring the GridIron XLR8 Grid computing solution to enterprises for applications such as digital content creation, business intelligence and electronic design automation. GridIron XLR8 is an application development tool and runtime software that makes it simple to develop, use and manage software with the added speed of parallel distributed computing using IBM eServer, pSeries and xSeries servers running Linux. GridIron XLR8 enables computationally intensive applications to run faster on multiple computers. With Gridiron XLR8, IBM and its Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) can offer enterprises a Grid computing solution that improves process workflow through enhanced software application performance. The GridIron-IBM solution makes existing Grid deployments more valuable and broadens the range of solutions available to companies considering Grid implementation. Unlike traditional approaches to Grid computing that often rely on management-intensive middleware solutions, GridIron XLR8 takes an application- embedded approach that allows software users to reap the performance benefits of Grid computing without changing the way they work with their applications. With interactive real-time distributed processing that eliminates the need for batch queue systems, and a patent-pending approach to data movement that lets users move large sets of data in very little time, XLR8 makes it Profoundly Simple to Grid-enable computationally intensive applications. "By providing a Grid solution that takes advantage of IBM Linux server technologies, we offer customers and developers greater choice and flexibility," said Steve Forde, CEO of GridIron Software. "As demand for transaction-processing solutions grows, we address this need by offering Grid computing technologies that integrate with customers' existing IT systems, as well as add increased functionality to commercial software applications. The sophisticated processing and data-movement capabilities of GridIron XLR8 dramatically ease and speed traditional business intelligence and digital content creation functions."