Laurence Field
|
The vision of one worldwide Grid that makes computing resources, scientific data, tools and instruments easily accessible to any scientist anywhere in the world is still years from being realized. But the efforts of researchers like Laurence Field to get grids to work together, or interoperate, brings that vision into clearer focus, even in a world of ever-increasing diversity and number of grid projects.
"Grid computing is about interoperability," says CERN's Field, who works on the Enabling Grids for E-sciencE project. "The early vision was for groups of users to access resources located at different sites using common methods. What we have today are virtual organizations and sites affiliated to different grid projects, each of which uses slightly different methods."
Field's first role in the EGEE grid environment was to maintain and enhance the information system, the means by which grid users discover what resources are available and select the best one for their needs. This work led naturally into interoperability, since getting information systems from different grids to talk to each other is a key part of making grids work together.
"As a community we have realized that there are two aspects to linking these projects—interoperation and interoperability," says Field. "Projects like EGEE and the Open Science Grid operate grid infrastructures, and interoperation between two projects is independent of the software the infrastructures use. Actually getting the two infrastructures to interoperate requires interoperability between the software."
Field deals with both the technical and organizational aspects of interoperability.
Grid interoperation is partially technical engineering and partially social engineering," he notes. "Once you have the software working together, it all needs to be put into day-to-day operation, and that's where the policies, procedures and politics come into play. It's a different set of challenges."
Field is working to get EGEE interoperating with the Nordic Data Grid Facility and the Open Science Grid. Through the Global Grid Forum's Grid Interoperability Now project he is also starting to work with other grid infrastructures from around the world.
"In GIN we're not looking at full, seamless interoperation, but starting smaller with a bottom-up approach," he explains. "Linking information systems in one case, or submitting jobs from one grid to another. If we are to achieve our vision we need to work towards real standards for today's grids."
—Katie Yurkewicz
e-mail this article
|
