"Grid computing" is the shared use of multiple distributed computing resources through broadband connections to tackle computing tasks beyond the capacity of ordinary servers. By combining its various servers' power, an organization or alliance of companies can get the power of a supercomputer with minimal additional investment. Or at least, that is the goal of those participating in a non-profit organization to develop and promulgate global open standards for such applications, the Global Grid Forum. According to basic network theory, such grids will allow companies to respond faster to changing markets and demands.
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Global Grid Forum maintains a series of persistent documents analogous to the Request for Comments (RFC) series associated with the Internet Standards Process and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Those documents and the process of developing them is available at GGF and include:
* Drafts Currently Available for Public Comment
* Published (final) documents
* Grid Working Drafts in process
* Drafts submitted for GGF meetings
For Datamation, Willy Chui wrote "Grid Computing: Fulfilling the Promise of the Internet" in July. He noted initial use of grid computing in scientific and technical applications has spread to more business uses as common standards.
Wired ran a piece in April about use of distributed computing to tackle computational needs for addressing SARS. Grid Computing Spreads to SARS
In addition to large corporations such as IBM, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard, companies providing grid computing software include:
Platform Computing, Inc.
DataSynapse Inc.
United Devices, Inc.
Entropia Inc.
Avaki Corp.