CoreGRID

Background

The objective of CoreGRID was to strengthen Europe’s scientific and technological advances in the areas of Grid Computing and peer-to-peer technologies. CoreGRID stayed at the forefront of scientific and technological excellence, encouraged the mobility of researchers, and ensured sustainable integration of research teams beyond the funding period of four years.

CoreGRID was an ambitious programme of joint activities structured around six complementary research areas, namely:

• Knowledge and Data Management
• Programming Model
• Architectural Issues: Scalability, Dependability, Adaptability
• Grid Information, Resources and Workflow Monitoring Services
• Resource Management and Scheduling
• Grid Systems, Tools and Environments

These research areas had been selected on the basis of their strategic importance, their research challenges and the recognised European expertise to develop next generation Grid middleware.

CETIC researchers actively participated in two of the six working groups (called «institutes») of CoreGRID, namely Knowledge and Data Management and Resource Management and Scheduling. CETIC was also responsible for the dissemination activity of the project (Spreading Excellence) and shared its expertise in technology transfer between academic research and industrial companies. Various tasks related to this important mission included organisation of scientific and industrial conferences of the CoreGRID network, communication with the press, leading the CoreGRID industrial advisory board and managing both production and dissemination of marketing materials
(brochure, poster, newsletter, etc.).

Main Achievements

CoreGRID not only successfully integrated and coordinated the European research community in Grid Computing technology, but also effectively linked academic research institutes with industry. The project achieved the goal of boosting the EU industrial sector by harnessing research and innovation for businesses.

To gain higher visibility and raise public participation and awareness, CoreGRID Network implemented an integrated programme for spreading excellence targeting researchers and industry-based computer scientists and leaders. Activities included dissemination and communication, liaison with industry, scientific communication, as well as training and education. Major achievements of the CoreGRID Spreading Excellence campaign include:

• Establishing an “industrial task force” to strengthen the network’s links with industry
• Initiating the Industrial Fellowship programme
• Active participation in the European and international initiatives such as NESSI (Networked European Software and Services Initiative) and OGF (Open Grid Forum)
• Increased public awareness and visibility through marketing material (brochure, annual report) and communication actions (press campaign)
• Strengthened the benefits for CoreGRID researchers, thanks to an active and appropriate internal network communication policy, as well as internal workshops

The expertise developed by CETIC researchers during the course of the
CoreGRID project can be used by local enterprises to deploy the cutting
edge Grid Computing and [⁻>mot83] technologies.