XTREEMOS project launches new grid operating system
The use of computational grids, also known as 'grid computing', facilitates people's lives by combining computer resources from various domains for a common task. An EU-funded team of researchers has developed and launched its second Linux-based grid operating system. Under the motto 'Making Grid Computing Easier', the XTREEMOS project has released the second version of its Linux-based Grid operating system. XTREEMOS, which is scheduled to end in May 2010, has received over EUR 14 million in financial support. Funded under the 'Information society technologies' (IST) of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), the XTREEMOS ('Building and promoting a Linux-based operating system to support virtual organisation for next generation grids') project has designed and integrated a platform of open source technologies to facilitate usage, management, scalability and programming. Due to end in May 2010 and coordinated by the France-based group Caisse des Dépôts et Consignation (CDC), XTREEMOS successfully provides new grid capabilities including simpler monitoring and job submission. It also offers virtual organisation management and a comprehensive security implementation. According to the partners, XTREEMOS is available in three 'flavours': PC, XTREEMOS cluster, and XTREEMOS Mobile. The PC flavour allows for aggregating standalone PCs (personal computers) as computation resources into XTREEMOS grids. The XTREEMOS cluster is based on Kerrighed's Linux SSI (single-system image) technology, which is a Linux cluster that enables users to obtain an image of a single large system. XTREEMOS Mobile enables XtreemOS services to be run on mobile devices including Nokia Internet Tablets. The latest 2.0 release version includes several functionalities: (1) creation and management of dynamic virtual organisations, (2) application execution management, (3) XtreemFS, (4) XOSAGA programming interface, and (5) Xosautoconfig. The first one focuses on security infrastructure ensuring the secure operation of the system, while the second allows searches for available nodes that meet the application needs of candidates, and then executes the application on the selected nodes. XtreemFS enables installation scalability by adding machines with free storage resources, XOSAGA programming interface provides access to XTREEMOS resources and services, and Xosautoconfig supports grid administrators and other users in their efforts to deploy XTREEMOS nodes on virtual machines, grids and test beds quickly. Interested users can download the second public version on XTREEMOS' website. The source code, sample applications and demos are also available online. The XtreemOS partners are from China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK.