The Internet communication infrastructure (the TCP/IP protocol stack) is designed for broad use; as such, it does not take the specific characteristics of Grid applications into account. This one-size-fits-all approach works for a number of application domains, however, it is far from being optimal - general network mechanisms, while useful for the Grid, cannot be as efficient as customised solutions. While the Grid is slowly emerging, its network infrastructure is still in its infancy. Thus, based on a number of properties that make Grids unique from the network perspective, the project EC-GIN (Europe-China Grid InterNetworking) will develop tailored network technology in dedicated support of Grid applications. These technical solutions will be supplemented with a secure and incentive-based Grid Services network traffic management system, which will balance the conflicting performance demand and the economic use of resources in the network and within the Grid.
By collaboration between European and Chinese partners, EC-GIN parallels previous efforts for real-time multimedia transmission across the Internet: much like the Grid, these applications have special network requirements and show a special behaviour from the network perspective. However, while research into network support for multimedia applications has flourished, leading to a large number of standard protocols and mechanisms, the research community has neglected network support for Grid computing up to now. By filling this gap and appropriately exploiting / disseminating the project results, EC-GIN will, therefore, cause a "snowball effect" in the European and Chinese networking and Grid computing research communities.
Technically, EC-GIN will make the Grid work, operate, and communicate better. By appropriately utilising the underlying network, Grid resources in general will be used more efficiently and amplify the impact of Grid computing on the society and economy of Europe and China "GINTONIC",
which stands for "Grid InterNetworking TOolbox Nestled In the Core", is
the name of the comprehensive implementation of all the Grid specific
network enhancements that are being modeled and will be developed in
EC-GIN. During the first project meeting some fundamental concepts have
been presented, such as the "GINTONIC" architecture, its main concepts
of application awareness (the API) and peer awareness.
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