Grid programming frameworks

Abstract

Adapting applications for computational grids requires approaches to develop applications that can effectively leverage available computing resources. This chapter surveys current programming frameworks to enable scientific applications to run on grid platforms and discusses the requirements for future programming frameworks that target computational grids. It focuses on how to enable applications to be distributed across multiple computing resources and how to support adaptability to available computing resources. The chapter introduces a programming framework based on the concept of pluggable grid service that provides seamless access to computational grids, using aspect-oriented techniques. Pluggable grid services avoid explicit calls to grid services in scientific codes, localize grid-specific concerns into well-defined modules and can be (un)plugged (into)from scientific codes. In consequence, domain-specific code becomes oblivious of grid issues, allowing scientists to focus on domain-specific issues and to manage grid issues by composing grid-specific modules.