Oracle-L: RE: Grid

From: MacGregor, Ian A. <ian_at_SLAC.Stanford.EDU>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 09:29:26 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.005CD810.20030827092926@fatcity.com>

We've been talking of Grid computing here since either late 1999 or early 2000. The computing for our main experiment was designed before the Grid was contemplated. Still we have implemented some of the middleware needed, and build methods of authentication and authorization, and participated in Grid experiments. We have also been pushing the ability to transfer large amounts of data. The latest effort: 2.3 GB per second between the local internet hub and Geneva Switzerland over Internet 2. This is vital to make the Grid work.

I was looking at the papers from the last Computing in High Energy Physics conference. I'd estimate that over half dealt with the Grid. Nearly all had to do with test beds or implementation standards. But the AMANDA experiment, Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array, is using the Grid in production. The AMANDA instrument is situated at the South Pole.

In 1990 if had mentioned the web very few would have heard of it, but within a few years URL's were ubiquitous. Oracle was very slow in adapting to the web. Perhaps this time they want to be avant garde. I don't know how the Grid is to work in the business environment. Major scientific collaborations include universities and HEP labs from numerous countries working towards the same goals including the sharing of computer resources. I doubt Pepsi would share its resources with Coke. Will we have the cokegrid, the pepsigrid, etc.

Ian MacGregor
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
ian_at_SLAC.Stanford.edu

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 2:49 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Although I haven't got into the technical details of 'The Grid' (and thanks for this article - I shall read it), but nevertheless I have a haunting sense of deja vu. Remember all the hype over distributed computing that Oracle generated? Remember the key part client-server was of that? Remember what Ellison said about that? ('The biggest mistake we ever made' - I was there, I heard him say it). So..... I'm just wondering how this particular circle is going to be squared...

peter
edinburgh

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 7:10 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

While I was cleaning up the other day, I noticed a magazine sticking out of the middle (sadly, closer to the top) of my still-to-be-read list. The cover story of Physics Today (Feb. 2002) is "The Power of Grid Computing". It is a pretty good review article on the subject. If anyone is interested, the URL is http://www.aip.org/pt/vol-55/iss-2/p42.html

The major point seems to be that the grid is simply just a way to share distributed resources. However, utilizing these resources needs an infrastructure in place. It "requires uniform mechanisms for such critical tasks as creating and managing services on remote computers, supporting single sign-on to distributed resources, transferring large datasets at high speeds, forming large distributed virtual communities, and maintaining information about the existence, state, and usage policies of community resources...Providing the infrastructure and tools that make large-scale, secure resource sharing possible and straight-forward is the Grid's raison d'etre."

In addition, this means that computing resources can be parcelled out like a utility. If you need extra CPU, buy it and use it from your utility when you need it. You don't need to own the hardware for your peak load. It also becomes easier to share data and applications between colleagues at different locations.

I can see how databases are part of this picture, but I am not sure how Oracle will try and place itself at the center of this trend (unless they mangle the concept of Grid in the process).

Henry

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Author: Henry Poras
INET: hporas_at_etal.uri.edu

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Author: Robson, Peter
INET: pgro_at_bgs.ac.uk

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