GridCOMP sets new standard for grid applications
An EU-funded project that has created an 'invisible grid' framework to compose and support efficient software grid applications on a large scale has achieved its goals and also forged strong collaborations between consortia partners. GridCOMP ('Grid programming with components: an advanced component platform for an advanced invisible grid') was funded under the 'Advanced grid technologies, systems and services' budget line of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Denis Caromel of the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA), one of the GridCOMP project partners, said, 'The main goal of the project was the design and implementation of a component-based framework suitable to support the development of efficient grid applications.' 'The produced framework implements the 'invisible grid' concept; abstract away grid-related implementation details (hardware, [the operating system or] OS, authorisation and security, load, failure, etc.) that usually require high programming efforts to be dealt with. Therefore, GridCOMP makes it possible to seamlessly compose applications and services deployed on small- to large-scale infrastructures,' he explained. To encourage industry take up of the results, the Grid Component Model (GCM) specifications are currently in the process of being accepted by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). Patricia Ho-Hune, from the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, said, 'GridCOMP has forged strong collaborations between academic and industrial partners, thus producing sustainable results which are exploited beyond the project lifetime.' Two GridCOMP partners, IBM and Atos Origin, both plan to build on GridCOMP's results, and INRIA and its subsidiary ActiveEon are already at work on further developing and integrating the GridCOMP framework. A tool has also been developed to take advantage of the component-oriented development methodology created by GridCOMP. This tool, called GIDE, will reduce the software development cycle by giving users everything necessary to compose, steer and monitor their grid applications. Industrial test cases have been set up to ascertain the workability of GridCOMP. Toni Arbona from Grid Systems in Spain, another partner in the project, said, 'To promote the capabilities of the GridCOMP framework, four industrial use cases have been developed. They represent a jump start for people new to GCM and are thus vital for the future success of the framework.' 'Industrial partners make use of their respective use cases to highlight the benefits of GridCOMP, both internally and to their customers. Use cases include Extended Data Record processing, Wing design, Biometric Identification for Security, and Days Sales Outstanding for company invoices,' added Mr Arbona.