Grids

Computers and advanced networks: united at the service of science

High-speed networks have been making the interchange of data among the most diversified points in the globe possible. Applications such as the World Wide Web, videoconferences and telephony over IP become increasingly more popular among a growing number of users.

In addition to the sharing of information, the networks today allow integration of resources such as computers, records, database and tools. The aggregation of these resources in large scale permits the development of powerful virtual infrastructures of processing and information, commonly called grids, cyberinfrastructures or e-Infrastructures.

Scientific projects have started to use these infrastructures, benefiting from the high processing capacity for the analysis of complex models, and from the access to large volumes of data. In this new paradigm, called e-Science (e-Ciência), investigators, even if separated by large geographic distances, carry out their work in collaborative environments, integrated to the powerful resources of the grids.

Grids have been used in quite diversified areas. This technology is also applied in the development of new drugs and medical treatments, in the analysis of financial risks, in oil exploration, in the development of products and in distance education, among others.

In this area, you will know a little more about grids, cyberinfrastructure, e-Science and related projects.

Eela

This initiative aims at the integration of digital infrastructure projects consolidated in Europe with those that are beginning in Latin America. The project was started in January, 2006. Twenty-one European and Latin American institutions participate in it.

Projects

Some collaborative experiences in grids happen currently in Brazil and abroad. Among them are Sinapad, HepGrid Brasil, EGEE and TeraGrid.

Ringrid

Clara organization (Cooperação Latino-Americana de Redes Avançadas) [Latin American Cooperation of Advanced Networks] participates in the project through the national networks of Chile (Reuna) and Brazil (RNP). The objective is to evaluate and propose standards for the use of remote instrumentation in computer grids.

Events

This page presents events and discussion forums on grids and cyberinfrastructure, such as Open Grid Forum and the International Conference of High Computational Performance, Networks, Storage and Analysis.