View from the GlobusWORLD Floor

By By Hal Hensley, Principal, Hensley & Associates, L.C.

March 7, 2005

**First published by IBM developerWorks at http://www.ibm.com/developerWorks

Some years back, I used to spend a fair amount of time in Boston, but not recently, and so arriving there Superbowl Sunday presented me with several new experiences. The “Big Dig” makes getting from the airport to downtown easier, especially when the whole town is watching a football game. The last time I was there when New England had a Superbowl contender was 1986, which was pretty ugly from a New England point of view. Watching the last half of Superbowl XXXIX among a horde of Patriots fans was much more fun this year than in '86. The joy in Boston seemed to pervade everything, and as the victory parade started, literally, next door, some 500 people and I made the transition from gridiron to matters of Grid computing, while discussing the state of Grid at GlobusWORLD 2005.

The State of Grid

By all accounts, Grid computing is growing up. While still a creature of the academic and scientific communities in which it has spent a good deal of its early years, Grid's excursions into the commercial enterprise are becoming more frequent and lasting. Take the presentation by Robert Ortega of Wachovia Corp. The following statements from his presentation should speak volumes to the enterprise community and IT professionals who seek to serve it:

“With advancements in Grid technology with respect to transaction processing, we are now leveraging the platform into areas that would be considered more traditional transaction processing; applications in the area of making a trade, creating a customer, locating a trade, retrieving market data, etc.”

“The Grid is an ideal virtual application server and an ideal service platform. The Grid enables a high degree of computing efficiency, speed, flexibility, resilience and environment management. Deployment of new services has little to no impact on existing running services, yet is able to leverage existing resources.”

We heard similar accounts from companies such as Boeing, SAP AG, Mazda Motor Corp. and Bowne & Co. Grid computing technology seems ready to find a meaningful home within the enterprise community. As Ross Mauri, general manager of On Demand Business for IBM, stated in his keynote address, Grids have arrived:

“Grids are in the business press. Not because they're cool technology, not because they're fun to work with, not because of open source and open standards, but because Grids are solving business problems. So, having Grid on the front page and on the CEO's business agenda is important to me and to all of us.”

New Kids on the Block

In the wake of this maturation process, there was a lot of buzz about two additions to the Grid community: Univa Corp., headed by Steve Tuecke, and the Globus Consortium, headed by Greg Nawrocki. Both men come from Argonne National Laboratory, a principal incubator of Grid technology.

Univa, co-founded by patriarchs of Grid computing Tuecke, Ian Foster and Carl Kesselman, will provide commercial software, technical support, and professional services for the open source Globus Toolkit and to the Grid community. Tuecke will serve as CEO, Foster as chief open source strategist and Kesselman as chief scientist.

The Globus Consortium is a new industry group dedicated to the commercial advancement of the Globus Toolkit, an open standards building block for enterprise-level grid implementations. Sponsor memebers of the consoritum are HP, IBM, Intel and Sun Microsystems. Nortel Networks and Univa are contributor members. Nawrocki will serve as president.

While some might question the rationale or implications of the creation of a commercial venture such as Univa, Tuecke said in our interview that it was a well thought-out decision whose time had come:

“The other players, such as IBM, Sun, HP, etc., were saying 'You guys have to get in the game. If Grid is going to happen in the commercial enterprise, you have to do something like Univa. We have to have someone we can partner with commercially to push along the Toolkit and Grid, in general.' There were things we needed to do, that we just couldn't do while with Argonne or Globus.”

A lot of spadework was done in preparation for the launch of the consortium. “The community seems to recognize this is a big endeavor that demands community cooperation to help everyone out,” Nawrocki said. “We put in a lot of up front work dealing with intellectual property issues, business issues, etc.”

The consensus of conference participants is that the emergence of these organizations, particularly with the involvement of the folk formerly with Argonne and Globus, means the Grid is growing up and ready to spread beyond academia and the laboratory into the world of commercial business.

Opportunity Knocks

So, with the Grid horizon apparently aglow, where does a developer start? I think Tuecke stated it quite well, taking off on a long stream of thought during our interview:

“Just dive in. We are agnostic to any one particular programming environment or model; this is by design, with respect to Web services and Grid. You don't have to be a J2EE head to do interesting stuff with Grid. Python hackers are doing some nice work around twisted framework with WSRF that integrates well with Globus-compliant services. Client-wise, with respect to distributed data management, try wiring together some workflow. Here, again, use whatever you want — Java technology, Python, whatever.”

“One recommendation I'd make is don't focus as much on doing your own services, but, rather, focus on using existing services. One of the places where a lot of people have tripped up over the past few years, especially since we've been driving OGSI and WSRF, is thinking that Grid is about writing your Web services in compliance with WSRF. This is plumbing-level stuff supporting the interesting stuff like distributed data management, discovery and distributed execution management.”

“The place to really start with Grid is to grab Globus and use GRAM, GRIDftp, RFT, RLF and others. The interesting higher-level stuff that is what the purpose of Grid is. Once you have your head around that and start spotting the gaps that get introduced — that those don't cover — then looking at doing your own services to fill those gaps makes more sense. Pick your favorite application, like music sharing or whatever, and try to Grid-enable it. One guy developed an online jukebox using GRAM. Get creative and have fun with it.”

Foster's take: With the Toolkit building heavily on Web services technology and WS-standards, a developer really needs to know Web services. Further, focus not only on delivering functionality but keep your eye on performance. Performance is extremely important.

Foster also offered this observation, predicting opportunities in the commercial Grid arena:

“I think there is a lot of innovation to come in the area of business models underlying how we accomplish certain tasks and rethinking the way one delivers services in the network world.”

With respect to the development community, Nawrocki said developers shouldn't go it alone. “It is to their benefit to invest in the Consortium environment. There really are dividends to be derived from working with your competitor(s),” he said. “If you are using the Toolkit, let us know about it, what are you doing, and what you need.”

Kickoff

The space that is “Grid” impresses me as one in which opportunity looms large for the developer community — a lot of ground-floor acreage. The important question for you, the developer, is how to exploit it.

In Tuecke's keynote, he said the beta of Globus Toolkit V4 is due in a couple of weeks. In our interview, Foster said the GA delivery date of April 29 is pretty firm. According to Foster, the major implication of Globus Toolkit V4 is that, whereas in Globus Toolkit V3 Web services were “not so robust,” Web services components in Globus Toolkit V4 “are really pretty solid.” He added, “The technology is solid enough to build some interesting things. Also, it's the first implementation of WS Resource Framework (WSRF) and Security. You now have the choice to build on Globus services or build your own using some of these other emerging open standards.”

Tuecke said, “Today there is still a mix of Web services and non-Web services. Over time, all functionality on the right side migrating to the left side and also for quite a long time we'll continue to support both.” It seems that Grid is destined to be a Web-service world.

Conclusion

Here's the primary thought I took away from GlobusWORLD: Sure, standards are important, but keep your eye on the Toolkit and Univa, and let the standards take care of themselves. There are too many standard bodies to keep track of, anyway. Stay open, push interoperability and you should be OK.

About Hal Hensley

Hal W. Hensley is a writer, IT consultant and principal with Hensley & Associates, L.C., in San Antonio, Texas. He caught a wave in the IT world of the mid-'70s and has been riding along ever since. Comments, suggestions, additions and corrections are welcome. He can be reached at [email protected].

Subscribe to HPCwire's Weekly Update!

Be the most informed person in the room! Stay ahead of the tech trends with industry updates delivered to you every week!

Q&A with Nvidia’s Chief of DGX Systems on the DGX-GB200 Rack-scale System

March 27, 2024

Pictures of Nvidia's new flagship mega-server, the DGX GB200, on the GTC show floor got favorable reactions on social media for the sheer amount of computing power it brings to artificial intelligence.  Nvidia's DGX Read more…

Call for Participation in Workshop on Potential NSF CISE Quantum Initiative

March 26, 2024

Editor’s Note: Next month there will be a workshop to discuss what a quantum initiative led by NSF’s Computer, Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorate could entail. The details are posted below in a Ca Read more…

Waseda U. Researchers Reports New Quantum Algorithm for Speeding Optimization

March 25, 2024

Optimization problems cover a wide range of applications and are often cited as good candidates for quantum computing. However, the execution time for constrained combinatorial optimization applications on quantum device Read more…

NVLink: Faster Interconnects and Switches to Help Relieve Data Bottlenecks

March 25, 2024

Nvidia’s new Blackwell architecture may have stolen the show this week at the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California. But an emerging bottleneck at the network layer threatens to make bigger and brawnier pro Read more…

Who is David Blackwell?

March 22, 2024

During GTC24, co-founder and president of NVIDIA Jensen Huang unveiled the Blackwell GPU. This GPU itself is heavily optimized for AI work, boasting 192GB of HBM3E memory as well as the the ability to train 1 trillion pa Read more…

Nvidia Appoints Andy Grant as EMEA Director of Supercomputing, Higher Education, and AI

March 22, 2024

Nvidia recently appointed Andy Grant as Director, Supercomputing, Higher Education, and AI for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). With over 25 years of high-performance computing (HPC) experience, Grant brings a Read more…

Q&A with Nvidia’s Chief of DGX Systems on the DGX-GB200 Rack-scale System

March 27, 2024

Pictures of Nvidia's new flagship mega-server, the DGX GB200, on the GTC show floor got favorable reactions on social media for the sheer amount of computing po Read more…

NVLink: Faster Interconnects and Switches to Help Relieve Data Bottlenecks

March 25, 2024

Nvidia’s new Blackwell architecture may have stolen the show this week at the GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California. But an emerging bottleneck at Read more…

Who is David Blackwell?

March 22, 2024

During GTC24, co-founder and president of NVIDIA Jensen Huang unveiled the Blackwell GPU. This GPU itself is heavily optimized for AI work, boasting 192GB of HB Read more…

Nvidia Looks to Accelerate GenAI Adoption with NIM

March 19, 2024

Today at the GPU Technology Conference, Nvidia launched a new offering aimed at helping customers quickly deploy their generative AI applications in a secure, s Read more…

The Generative AI Future Is Now, Nvidia’s Huang Says

March 19, 2024

We are in the early days of a transformative shift in how business gets done thanks to the advent of generative AI, according to Nvidia CEO and cofounder Jensen Read more…

Nvidia’s New Blackwell GPU Can Train AI Models with Trillions of Parameters

March 18, 2024

Nvidia's latest and fastest GPU, codenamed Blackwell, is here and will underpin the company's AI plans this year. The chip offers performance improvements from Read more…

Nvidia Showcases Quantum Cloud, Expanding Quantum Portfolio at GTC24

March 18, 2024

Nvidia’s barrage of quantum news at GTC24 this week includes new products, signature collaborations, and a new Nvidia Quantum Cloud for quantum developers. Wh Read more…

Houston We Have a Solution: Addressing the HPC and Tech Talent Gap

March 15, 2024

Generations of Houstonian teachers, counselors, and parents have either worked in the aerospace industry or know people who do - the prospect of entering the fi Read more…

Alibaba Shuts Down its Quantum Computing Effort

November 30, 2023

In case you missed it, China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba has shut down its quantum computing research effort. It’s not entirely clear what drove the change. Read more…

Nvidia H100: Are 550,000 GPUs Enough for This Year?

August 17, 2023

The GPU Squeeze continues to place a premium on Nvidia H100 GPUs. In a recent Financial Times article, Nvidia reports that it expects to ship 550,000 of its lat Read more…

Shutterstock 1285747942

AMD’s Horsepower-packed MI300X GPU Beats Nvidia’s Upcoming H200

December 7, 2023

AMD and Nvidia are locked in an AI performance battle – much like the gaming GPU performance clash the companies have waged for decades. AMD has claimed it Read more…

DoD Takes a Long View of Quantum Computing

December 19, 2023

Given the large sums tied to expensive weapon systems – think $100-million-plus per F-35 fighter – it’s easy to forget the U.S. Department of Defense is a Read more…

Synopsys Eats Ansys: Does HPC Get Indigestion?

February 8, 2024

Recently, it was announced that Synopsys is buying HPC tool developer Ansys. Started in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1970 as Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc. (SASI) by John Swanson (and eventually renamed), Ansys serves the CAE (Computer Aided Engineering)/multiphysics engineering simulation market. Read more…

Choosing the Right GPU for LLM Inference and Training

December 11, 2023

Accelerating the training and inference processes of deep learning models is crucial for unleashing their true potential and NVIDIA GPUs have emerged as a game- Read more…

Intel’s Server and PC Chip Development Will Blur After 2025

January 15, 2024

Intel's dealing with much more than chip rivals breathing down its neck; it is simultaneously integrating a bevy of new technologies such as chiplets, artificia Read more…

Baidu Exits Quantum, Closely Following Alibaba’s Earlier Move

January 5, 2024

Reuters reported this week that Baidu, China’s giant e-commerce and services provider, is exiting the quantum computing development arena. Reuters reported � Read more…

Leading Solution Providers

Contributors

Comparing NVIDIA A100 and NVIDIA L40S: Which GPU is Ideal for AI and Graphics-Intensive Workloads?

October 30, 2023

With long lead times for the NVIDIA H100 and A100 GPUs, many organizations are looking at the new NVIDIA L40S GPU, which it’s a new GPU optimized for AI and g Read more…

Shutterstock 1179408610

Google Addresses the Mysteries of Its Hypercomputer 

December 28, 2023

When Google launched its Hypercomputer earlier this month (December 2023), the first reaction was, "Say what?" It turns out that the Hypercomputer is Google's t Read more…

AMD MI3000A

How AMD May Get Across the CUDA Moat

October 5, 2023

When discussing GenAI, the term "GPU" almost always enters the conversation and the topic often moves toward performance and access. Interestingly, the word "GPU" is assumed to mean "Nvidia" products. (As an aside, the popular Nvidia hardware used in GenAI are not technically... Read more…

Shutterstock 1606064203

Meta’s Zuckerberg Puts Its AI Future in the Hands of 600,000 GPUs

January 25, 2024

In under two minutes, Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, laid out the company's AI plans, which included a plan to build an artificial intelligence system with the eq Read more…

Google Introduces ‘Hypercomputer’ to Its AI Infrastructure

December 11, 2023

Google ran out of monikers to describe its new AI system released on December 7. Supercomputer perhaps wasn't an apt description, so it settled on Hypercomputer Read more…

China Is All In on a RISC-V Future

January 8, 2024

The state of RISC-V in China was discussed in a recent report released by the Jamestown Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The report, entitled "E Read more…

Intel Won’t Have a Xeon Max Chip with New Emerald Rapids CPU

December 14, 2023

As expected, Intel officially announced its 5th generation Xeon server chips codenamed Emerald Rapids at an event in New York City, where the focus was really o Read more…

IBM Quantum Summit: Two New QPUs, Upgraded Qiskit, 10-year Roadmap and More

December 4, 2023

IBM kicks off its annual Quantum Summit today and will announce a broad range of advances including its much-anticipated 1121-qubit Condor QPU, a smaller 133-qu Read more…

  • arrow
  • Click Here for More Headlines
  • arrow
HPCwire