Understanding Grid Computing.
                     UNDERSTANDING 
GRID COMPUTING
Introduction
Grid Computing can be defined as a network of 
computers working together to perform a task 
that would rather be difficult for a single 
machine. 
All machines on that network work under the 
same protocol to act like a virtual 
supercomputer.
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Distributed Computing
Grid Computing is a subset of distributed 
computing, where a virtual super computer 
comprises of machines on a network connected 
by some bus, mostly Ethernet or sometimes the 
Internet.
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Parallel Computing
It can also be seen as a form of Parallel 
Computing where instead of many CPU cores on 
a single machine, it contains multiple cores 
spread across various locations.
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Working
Control Node: 
A computer, usually a server or a group of 
servers which administrates the whole network 
and keeps the account of the resources in the 
network pool.
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Working Cont.
Provider: 
The computer which contributes it’s resources in 
the network resource pool.
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Working User 
User: 
The computer that uses the resources on the 
network.
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Contribution
When a computer makes a request for resources 
to the control node, control node gives the user 
access to the resources available on the 
network. 
When it is not in use it should ideally contribute 
it’s resources to the network. 
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Heterogeneous networks
The nodes may consist of machines with similar 
platforms using same OS called homogeneous 
networks, else machines with different platforms 
running on various different OS called 
heterogeneous networks.
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Middleware
For controlling the network and it’s resources a 
software/networking protocol is used generally 
known as Middleware. 
This is responsible for administrating the 
network and the control nodes are merely it’s 
executors.
Source: www.geeksforgeeks.org
Advantages of Grid 
Computing
It is not centralized, as there are no servers 
required, except the control node which is just 
used for controlling and not for processing.
Multiple heterogeneous machines i.e. machines 
with different Operating Systems can use a 
single grid computing network.
Source: www.geeksforgeeks.org