Cloud versus Grid

I am back from vacation and trying to catch up on my podcasts. In an IT Conversations Technometria Podcast, Phil Windley spoke with Rich Polski. Rich is working on Eucalyptus, an open source implementation of the Amazon EC2 interface.

Rich gave a great definition of the difference between grid computing and cloud computing. Grid computing typically involves a small number of users requesting big chunks of resources from a homogenous environment. Cloud computing typically involves a large number of users with relatively low resource requirements from a heterogenous environment.
Rich and Phil went on to discuss the opportunities for academic research in the cloud computing and virtualization spaces. If you are considering when and how to leverage these technologies, give it a listen.

One Response to “Cloud versus Grid”

  • Rob Eamon:

    “Cloud computing” as a term seems like marketing invention.
    Try as I might, I cannot find any materials that are critical of the term “cloud computing.” It’s like it just showed up one day and everyone accepted it. “It’s a metaphor for the Internet.”

    Okay, so why do we have this new term? “Internet” doesn’t work any more?

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