Library items tagged: grid support

Anonymous
This appendix contains ideas and examples of good practice in Grid support gathered from various conferences and meetings with organisations that are making effective use of Grid technologies. It is hoped to expand this collection in future editions: please send any suggestions for ideas to include to Andrew.Cormack@ja.net. Where possible, references to the source of the idea are included, though some of the case studies were given by personal communication or on condition of anonymity.
Anonymous
Service Definitions Grid Service Providers ensure that technical and support services offered are defined and available to users, along with any service level definitions define who may use the Grid service, and document the process for gaining authorisation (and authentication credentials if required) define technical and network requirements to use the Grid service define acceptable use and other policies for the Grid and make these available, as far as possible, to all authorised users
Anonymous
Grid technology is not yet at the stage where an average researcher can simply start to use Grids without help. Early adopters are therefore likely to need support, both to identify which applications can benefit from Grids and to enable them to use the technology effectively. Moving existing applications to a Grid is likely to involve effort in modifying software and data, perhaps to run on a different operating system, as well as the time to learn a new interface and style of working.
Anonymous
Grid systems consist of large combined CPU resources, connected by fast networks and with a considerable degree of mutual trust. These are essential features for their intended purpose but they also make Grids a significant operational and security problem. Any failure or misuse of a Grid is likely to spread rapidly, because of the trust and inter-connections, and to have a large impact because of the power of the computing resources involved.
Anonymous
Grid technologies often make novel demands of networks, both in terms of performance and by their use of new protocols. It is therefore essential to have processes both to assess what proposed Grid activities will require of site and external networks, and to ensure that any changes to provide for these do not undermine existing measures that have been implemented on networks and servers to reduce security risks.
Anonymous
Grid services are distinguished from ad hoc Grids by the fact that the service they provide is clearly defined. It is obvious that an organisation that wishes to provide a Grid service must consider how that service will be defined, but organisations that plan to be users, rather than providers, of Grid services also need to review the service definitions to confirm that the service is appropriate and that the organisation (and the user) can satisfy any technical and procedural requirements that may be placed on them.
Anonymous
Work is in progress to create Grid services at the levels of individual campuses, both nationally for the UK and internationally. Each level is likely to be based on components contributed by the levels below it. This section therefore gives a brief overview of the characteristics of each type of service and the agreements that are needed to build them into a consistent whole.
Anonymous
GD/JANET/TECH/014 (09/06) Grids represent a new approach to computing, using high-speed networks to let researchers collaborate and gain access to the computing and data resources they require. Grids should reduce two of the constraints on current research: the requirement for researchers to be physically close and the need for researchers to have either physical possession or prior allocation of all the computing resources they will need. Grids should therefore improve the efficiency of both researchers and computers.