1. Gonçalo Borges, Mário David, Jorge Gomes
Grid Computing Back to basics: the concept, the model, the infrastructure…
EGEE & Int.EU.Grid Tutorial
Lisbon, 12th Decemberr 2007
Gonçalo Borges, Mário David, Jorge Gomes
LIP Lisboa

2. 1. Concepts and Definitions
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3. What is the GRID?
GRID computing is a recent concept which takes distributing computing a step forward
The name GRID is chosen by analogy with the electric power grid:
Transparent: plug-in to obtain computing power without worrying where it comes from
Permanent and available everywhere
The World Wide Web provides seamless access to information that is stored in many millions of different geographical locations
In contrast, the GRID is a new computing infrastructure which provides seamless access to computing power and data storage distributed all over the globe
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4. GRID vs Distributed Computing
Distributed infrastructures already exist, but…
they normally tend to be local & specialized systems:
Intended for a single purpose or user group
Restricted to a limit number of users
Do not allow coherent interactions with resources from other institutions
The GRID goes further and takes into account:
Different kinds of resources:
Not always the same hardware, data, applications and admin. policies
Different kinds of interactions:
User groups or applications want to interact with Grids in different ways
Access computing power / storage capacity across different administrative domains by an unlimited set of non-local users
Dynamic nature:
Resources added/removed/changed frequently
World wide dimension
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5. The GRID Metaphor
The transparent interaction between heterogeneous resources (owned by geographically spread organizations), applications and users is only possible through…
the use of a specialized layer of software called middleware G R I D M L E W A
Visualising
Workstation
Mobile Access
The middleware hides the infrastructure technical details and allows a secure integration/sharing of resources.
Internet protocols do not provide security mechanisms for resource sharing.
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6. 2. How to access to the GRID?
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7. User & Administrator Perspectives
Users need
single sign-on: the ability to logon to a machine and have the user’s identity passed to other resources as required
to trust owners of the resources they are using
Providers of resources (computers, databases,..) need to
trust users they do not know
minimise impact on security
have the ability to trace who did what
The solution comes from
Digital Certificates
Virtual Organizations
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8. X.509 Public Key Infrastructure
Digital Certificates
Resource providers are “opening themselves up” to itinerant users:
A Secure Access to resources is provided through the
X.509 Public Key Infrastructure
Digital certificates identify uniquely its user/service identity
Users/Services identity have to be certified by (mutually recognized) national Certification Authorities (CAs)
One CA per country
CAs are coordinated by global bodies to enable the creation of a world-wide trust zone (EUGridPMA)
Digital certificates allow a temporary delegation from users to processes executed “in user’s name” (proxy certificates and myproxy certificates repositories)
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9. Virtualization & Sharing
Virtual Organizations (VO):
People from different organizations but with common goals get together to solve their problems in a cooperative way.
Virtualized shared computing resources: VO members have access to computing resources outside their home institutions.
Virtualized shared data resources: VOs members can store and access data outside their home institutions.
Other resources may be shared and virtualized as well: Instruments, sensors, software and even people…
VO practical role:
Set Common Agreed Policies for accessing resources
Administrates the VO membership list
Before joining a VO, a person must already have a valid certificate
VO administrators can reject persons which do not fulfill the VO requirements
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10. Particle Physics Comunity
VOs Examples
Particle Physics Comunity
Biomed Comunity
High Energy Comunity
Cancer Research Comunity
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