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From the Web to Grid computing

February 20, 2003

We will soon be able to tap the processing power of mainframe computers and their high-performance software through a "grid", just as easily as we now plug in a laptop to obtain electricity from the power grid. The acclaimed SETI project (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) was one of the first instances in which computing power was pooled worldwide and, in this case, used to look for conspicuous patterns in vast amounts of radio telescope data. In the meantime, the networking of processing power has become a real trend, and the idea of grid computing has taken off in a big way in the USA. NASA and the Department of Energy already have their own networks - Microsoft and IBM are investing billions of dollars in their construction.

The aim of the Fraunhofer Resource Grid is to offer a comprehensive range of services to engineers and scientists both inside and outside the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. "Resource" implies from the outset that the Grid is not purely focused on computing - machines, sensors and measuring devices are also integrated in its infrastructure.

Researchers from five Fraunhofer Institutes will be presenting the first practical applications between March 12 and 19 at the CeBIT trade fair in Hall 11. ERAMAS (Environmental Risk Analysis and Management System) is a simulation program that calculates and analyzes the dispersal of toxic substances in the air, ground and water. "The model demonstrates the environment effects of an industrial or a road accident involving the transport of hazardous goods," explains Andreas Hoheisel of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology FIRST. "This makes it an important tool for adverse incident control, because the efficiency of countermeasures can be estimated in advance."

Another program available on the Grid is MAGMASOFT™ which is used to simulate casting processes. By analyzing heat flow and shrinkage during the solidification of metals, the program identifies and indicates potentially weak spots in the cast part. Products can then be improved by modifying the molds and the technical parameters of the casting process. "Simulating the behavior of flowing metals is so demanding that it is beyond the means of most small and medium-sized companies," explains Dr. Joachim Linn of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM. "Since this is also one of the services offered by the Fraunhofer Resource Grid, registered users can directly access this program via the portal."

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

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