Grid Computing Now! - Grids and Systems Management

Since the onset of "Open" systems a couple of decades ago, and the resulting industry convergence on a few approaches to networking and device sharing, there has been a steady move away from relatively homogeneous, proprietary computing environments towards more heterogeneous, stovepipe infrastructures. Compound this with a high rate of merger and assimilation of organisations, and one ends up with data centres full of an Aladdin's cave of manufacturer's systems. In this kind of situation the value of grid processes in system management shows itself, as compared to simply managing the resources as a large cluster, which presumes some measure of homogeneity. A flexible and scalable grid architecture supports all of the heterogeneity and complexity inherent in legacy infrastructures, whilst hiding it from the users.