Grid Computing on the Rise: Business and Technology Integration

Companies are beginning to explore the potential of grid computing, where multiple computers are combined to create a powerful network. Although the current Globus Toolkit has been met with caution, its developers are working on a new release to make it more palatable to a wider audience. Organizations such as Johnson & Johnson are already reaping the benefits of grid computing, with projects that utilize the power of hundreds of PCs and servers.

Key Takeaways:

• The Globus Toolkit, a software solution for grid computing, has been slow to gain traction in the business world, with few companies adopting it despite backing from major tech firms like HP, IBM, and Microsoft.
• Johnson & Johnson is a notable exception, with two grid projects underway that utilize the combined power of PCs and servers to perform tasks such as drug screening.
• The Globus Toolkit has a second test release planned, which aims to improve its usability and appeal to a wider audience.
• The founders of the Globus Alliance, Ian Foster, Carl Kesselman, and Steve Tuecke, have spun off a new company, Univa, to handle the development, licensing, bug-fixing, and technical support of the toolkit.
• United Devices' commercial software is being used to schedule jobs across PCs or servers, but its capabilities fall short of the promises made by grid computing.

Statistics:

• 400 PCs and 64 Linux servers are being used for a drug-screening pilot project in Belgium.
• Johnson & Johnson has two grid projects in the works, each with its own network.
• The Globus Toolkit's current adoption rate is low, with few businesses utilizing its capabilities.
• The second test release of the Globus Toolkit 4 aims to improve its usability and appeal to a wider audience.

Sources:

• Hewlett-Packard (HP), IBM, Microsoft, and other companies have backed the Globus Toolkit project.
• Johnson & Johnson is an early sponsor of the Globus Toolkit project and has two grid projects in the works.
• United Devices' commercial software is being used to schedule jobs across PCs or servers for Johnson & Johnson's U.S. project.