On the Grid

Grid Computing Becomes Strategic

Making the most out of your existing resources is a sound business strategy in today's wait-and-see economy. And if you can make better and faster decisions than your competitors in the process, then you've caught the brass ring.

But one potential solution, grid computing, in which heterogeneous systems share computational resources such as processing or storage and applications to mimic the speed and capabilities of a supercomputer, seemed too large an undertaking for most enterprises outside the research community. IBM's recent introduction of 10 grid offerings targeting the financial, life sciences, automotive, aerospace, and government markets is the latest attempt to change that perception.

In the last several years, major companies such as IBM, Sun Microsystems, and Microsoft have taken active interest in grid technology by supporting standards bodies such as the Globus Project and linking grid technology to their Web services strategies.

John Wark, president and CEO of Entropia Inc., calls this latest announcement by IBM "a milestone for grid computing." While past announcements have laid out the vision of grid computing, these offerings are part of IBM's go-to market strategy, which reinforces the messages that "this technology is important, the major vendors are embracing it, and it is something that people need to be looking at and thinking about."

IBM's grid offerings were chosen based on customer and existing implementations feedback on areas that would bring the biggest value for those markets. They include Analytics Acceleration and IT Optimization Grids (financial markets), Analytics Acceleration and Information Accessibility Grids (life sciences), Engineering Design and Design Collaboration (automotive and aerospace), Information Access Grid (governments), and Grid Innovation Workshops.

Wark sees these early-adopter markets and offerings as merely the tip of the iceberg. While early grid benefits include greater efficiency and optimization of resources, future applications will take better advantage of grid's collaboration and real-time potential to radically alter the way companies make business decisions. He cites a financial firm that can run models and analytics while on the phone with a customer — a dramatic advantage over a competitor without those capabilities — but sees the need for these benefits rippling over to other markets.

— Michelle M. Young

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