Cost of Computer Resources
Description:
Cost is the first driving force of grid computing. Going back to the 1970s, mainframe computing was the fashion and every corporation that mattered had to have one. Because of the enormous investment, every processing cycle had to be accounted for and used to its fullest potential. Also around that time computers were being linked through networks, and geographically dispersed computers could now communicate with each other. These two factors combined inspired some clever thinkers of the day to utilize these resources, and distributed, or grid computing, was a fact.
Enablers:
As briefly touched upon in the description, main enablers for this technology were the enormous costs of processing power in the early days of computing, and the necessity of using every available CPU cycle. Moreover with the advent of the network computers could be linked to form grids.
Inhibitors:
Main inhibitors are both rival, such as clusters, or opposing, such as powerful workstations, technologies. Moreover, large companies are skeptical regarding the antiquated concept of the mainframe, or other large investments in processing power (‘How will this benefit us over our existing solution?’).
Paradigms:
Typical example of (the power of) grid computing, and one that everyone knows, is the SETI@Home project. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach. The project collects massive amounts of radio telescope data, and has found private individuals, such as you and me, willing to use (part of) their PC computing power to the interpretation of this data by means of a SETI client. By combining the processing power of millions of regular PCs all over the world, a vast and powerful network has been created to do these calculations for them.
Experts:
International Business Machines, IBM
United Devices
Timing:
There seem to be as much conjuncture in technology as economics, where computing technology is first centralized, then decentralized, and then centralized again. Only recently have grid computing, clusters, and other types of virtual networks become popular again, because of the cost effectiveness of the solutions. Time will tell if grid computing is just another fad, or will actually have the capacity and momentum to make a difference.