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A Simple Grid Computing Synchronization Solution

Posted by Hemos on from the syncing-nicely dept.

atari_kid writes "NewScientist.com is running a article about a simple solution to the synchronization problems involved in distributed computing. Gyorgy Korniss and his colleagues at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute proposed that each computer in a grid synchronize by occasionally checking with a randomly chosen computer in the network instead of centralizing the grid by having a global supervisor."

2 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. SImilar ideas to P2P by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    NewScientist also carried an article how randomly moving search agents can speed up P2P technologies, the current idea of : "Each individual computer makes occasional checks with randomly-chosen others, to ensure it is properly synchronised." is again very similar

    The gist is, use a mathematical ploy to ensure that the ammount by which the system can degrade over time is compoensated by the simplest system possible.

    This idea could perhaps be taken further...

  2. Re:But... by NortWind · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It is more like the way that an entire auditorium full of people can clap in unison without a leader.

    Each node just queries some other random node, and if it is behind that node, it advances a little, (say 10% of the difference,) and if it is ahead of the other node, it backs up a little. This way, by repeatedly seeing how the others are doing, each node tracks onto the average of the group. The goal isn't to be right, it is just to agree.