[Offtopic] CERN drives Grid computing, needs volunteers

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Although one expert claims they haven't done enough,
(http://www.gridtoday.com/grid/711859.html) CERN
is working hard on the development of a world Grid.

The problem appears to be the lack of commercial apps
driving grid-computing development. We need Grids :-)

http://gridcafe.web.cern.ch/gridcafe/GridatCERN/gridatcern.html

"CERN has a reputation for being at the forefront of networking 
technology and 'where the Web was born' is the lab's motto.  

When it comes to Grid technology, this is particularly true: CERN is 
leading some of the most ambitious Grid projects in the world. 

CERN has chosen Grid technology to solve a huge data storage and analysis 
challenge it faces in 2007, when the Large Hadron Collider, the biggest 
scientific instrument in the world, starts running. 

At that time, thousands of physicists around the world start clamouring 
for access to the huge mounds of data that will come out of the 
instrument. The data will be a goldmine for finding traces of new exotic 
fundamental particles of matter, which in turn will tell physicists a lot 
more about how the Universe was formed and what its future might be.

The data will be produced at about 10 Petabytes a year. That is more than 
1000x the amount of information in book form printed every year around 
the world, and nearly 10% of all information that humans produce on the 
planet each year - including digital images, photos and what have you. In 
short, that is a LOT of information.

The only reasonable way to access this amount of information seems to be 
Grid technology. 

So CERN has taken a big gamble on Grid technology, and is pushing the 
technology forward in several ways, in order to make the 2007 deadline 
for the LHC ..."

**Current Volunteer @home public projects**

http://gridcafe.web.cern.ch/gridcafe/gridprojects/athome.html

Climateprediction.net
Compute Against Cancer
Distributed Folding
figthAIDS at Home
Folding at Home
Genome at home 
LHC at home 
Mersenne Lifesaver
SETI at home 
The Smallpox Protection Project 
World Community Grid
--

Cheers all :-)
Stephen Loosley