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Cloud Computing

Notes unused. The results of that spare-time processing are periodically uploaded to the distributed
computing network and combined with similar results from other PCs in the project. The result,
if enough computers are involved, simulates the processing power of much larger mainframes
and supercomputers—which is necessary for some very large and complex computing projects.

Notes Genetic research requires vast amount of computing power. Left to traditional
means, it might take years to solve essential mathematical problems. By connecting
together thousands (or millions) of individual PCs, more power is applied to the problem,
and the results are obtained that much sooner.

Distributed computing dates back to 1973, when multiple computers were networked together
at the Xerox PARC labs and worm software was developed to cruise through the network
looking for idle resources. A more practical application of distributed computing appeared in
1988, when researchers at the DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) System Research Centre
developed software that distributed the work to factor large numbers among workstations
within their laboratory. By 1990, a group of about 100 users, utilizing this software, had factored
a 100-digit number. By 1995, this same effort had been expanded to the web to factor of a
130 digit number.
It was not long before distributed computing hit the Internet. The first major Internet-based
distributed computing project was distributed.net, launched in 1997, which employed thousands
of personal computers to crack encryption codes.
Many distributed computing projects are conducted within large enterprises, using traditional
network connections to form the distributed computing network. Other larger projects utilize
the computers of everyday Internet users, with the computing typically taking place off-line,
and then uploaded once a day via traditional consumer Internet connections.

1.2.4 Collaborative Computing: Working as a Group

From the early days of client/server computing through the evolution of P2P, there has been a
desire for multiple users to work simultaneously on the same computer-based project. This type
of collaborative computing is the driving force behind cloud computing, but has been around
for more than a decade.
Early group collaboration was enabled by the combination of several different P2P technologies.
The goal was (and is) to enable multiple users to collaborate on group projects online, in real
time.
To collaborate on any project, users must first be able to talk to one another. In today’s
environment, this means instant messaging for text-based communication, with optional audio
or telephony and video capabilities for voice and picture communication. Most collaboration
systems offer the complete range of audio or video options, for full-featured multiple-user
video conferencing.

In addition, users must be able to share files and have multiple-users work on the same document
simultaneously. Real-time whiteboarding is also common, especially in corporate and education
environments.
Early group collaboration systems ranged from the relatively simple (Lotus Notes and Microsoft
NetMeeting) to the extremely complex (the building-block architecture of the Grove Networks
system). Most limited to operation over the companies private networks.

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