GRID COMPUTING: THE NEXT BIG THING

Many experts say that the next wave in computing, particularly for university and research purposes, will be grid computing.

Grids are networks of computers, databases, and applications that combine to offer users huge gains in computational speed and the amount of resources available.

Some experts suggest that grid computing will fundamentally alter the way we use computers. Rick Herrmann of Intel Corporation said that several countries, including China, are working to develop the best possible infrastructure to support grid computing.

The best infrastructure, Herrmann said, will attract the brightest talent. Ian Foster of the University of Chicago, however, warns that it will take many years before the dream of grid computing is fully realized. Chronicle of Higher Education, 27 November 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/11/2002112701t.htm