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NIST Studies Virus, DDoS Effect On Grids
Ben writes "Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have launched a new campaign to study the effect of viruses and denial of services attacks on grid computing systems. Specifically, they're developing models to establish vulnerability and find ways of fixing problems. But a grid's very strength -- its distibuted nature -- makes it vulnerable, indeed, they're finding. (Via Science Blog)"
Hmm, I've never seen any serious computing grids that are open to outside networks or that run windows.
I think its common wisdom to isolate grids from the internet and other potentially hostile networks.
But a grid's very strength -- its distibuted nature -- makes it vulnerable, indeed, they're finding.
Ewwww, awkward!
Better: But the grid's very strength, its distributed nature, makes it more vulnerable to these types of attacks.
Or: However, they're finding the grid's strength -- its distributed nature -- makes it vulnerable.
This is one of those times dramatizing a sentence makes it worse.
"Grid computing takes advantage of "down time" when computers are not using their full processing power to provide quick answers to problems in fields such as genomics, engineering design and financial services."
NIST jumping on the Grid bandwagon without knowing
what the term means. It's not about spare cycles;
it's about doing reliable distributed computing
in a loosely connected internet world. Most
machines "on the Grid" are large, dedicated
parallel farms bought for the purpose.
Foster's most recent Grid definition is at:
http://www.gridtoday.com/02/0722/100136.html
AM