Grid Computing at the University of Maryland

Grid computing uses the resources of many separate computers connected by a network to solve large-scale computational problems. Individual users can access computing resources transparently, without having to consider where those facilities are located. Applications also include multi-disciplinary collaboration at a distance. However, the vision of large scale resource sharing is not yet a reality in many areas. Professor Michael Cummings, UM’s Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, is overseeing UM’s own Grid system, The Lattice project. He will help us gain a better understanding of the functionality and benefits of Grid computing and facilitate a brainstorming session as we seek to identify challenges in the humanities that might be addressed by this capability.