The information in these languages tells the control node how to handle data and applications. Control nodes (a node is any device connected to a network that can transmit, receive and reroute data) rely on XML languages like the Web Services Description Language ( WSDL). Extensible Markup Language ( XML): A computer language that describes other data and is readable by computers.Cluster: A group of networked computers sharing the same set of resources.What does it all mean? Keep reading to find out. If you read a report about grid computing, you come across a lot of unusual terms and jargon. To the individual user, it's as if the user's computer has transformed into a supercomputer. Grid computing systems link computer resources together in a way that lets someone use one computer to access and leverage the collected power of all the computers in the system. Most computers are upgradeable, which means it's possible to add more power or capacity to a single computer, but that's still just an incremental increase in performance.

There's an upper limit to how fast it can complete an operation or how much information it can store. Normally, a computer can only operate within the limitations of its own resources. Storage: In grid computing terms, storage refers to permanent data storage devices like hard disk drives or databases.Without memory, the microprocessor would have to search and retrieve data from a more permanent storage device such as a hard disk drive. Memory keeps relevant data close at hand for the microprocessor. Memory: In general, a computer's memory is a kind of temporary electronic storage.Central processing unit (CPU): A CPU is a microprocessor that performs mathematical operations and directs data to different memory locations.So what exactly is a grid computing system? Keep reading to find out. Once people agree upon a reliable set of standards and protocols, it will be easier and more efficient for organizations to adopt the grid computing model. Right now, many existing grid computer systems rely on proprietary software and tools. Computer scientists, programmers and engineers are still working on creating, establishing and implementing standards and protocols. Though the concept isn't new, it's also not yet perfected. Every authorized computer would have access to enormous processing power and storage capacity. With the right user interface, accessing a grid computing system would look no different than accessing a local machine's resources. In the ideal grid computing system, every resource is shared, turning a computer network into a powerful supercomputer. In distributed computing, different computers within the same network share one or more resources. It's a special kind of distributed computing. The grid computing concept isn't a new one.

Grid mapping protocol