BIS-Grid Internal Information Systems: Grid-based Integration and Orchestration

Extensive calculations in scientific or commercial environments require computer resources which a single university or company can not supply. Grid-computing allows for the integration and usage of distributed resources (computer capacities). Through networking the distributed resources, extensive calculations can be conducted within an acceptable time. BIS-Grid will significantly augment the application potential for grid-technologies and make this technology accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

The integration of information systems through Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) has a great significance for the implementation of business processes through the so-called orchestration in service-oriented architectures (SOA). While EAI solves integration problems within heterogeneous environments, grid-technologies focus on these problems on a resource level. The grid offers an efficient, secure and dependable technology for the integration of internal information systems with which required resources are simply integrated and virtual organizations efficiently formed on demand.

Within the BIS-grid project extensions for a horizontal service-grid in the area of internal information systems will be elaborated both on the conceptual and technological level. The goal is to use grid-technologies for the integration of decentralized information systems. New forms of cooperation and new business models have to be elaborated on the conceptual level. On the technological level, the WS-BPEL-based orchestration shall be harnessed for grid-services. There, the Middleware systems that are already established in the commercial sector will not be substituted, but integrated, so as to allow for interoperability between the grid-technology and the integration of internal information systems. In order to reach the optimal utilization of the results, utilization and marketing plans with special focus on SME needs will be created. By offering grid-providing or grid-software counseling, SME in the IT service-sector can offer an additional service and thereby improve their market position.

In this project the C-LAB focuses on the requirements and new forms of collaboration for enterprises, as well as on the integration of internal information systems through grid-technology. Furthermore, sustainable business models will be elaborated for those enterprises that choose to enter the market as a grid provider. It is a particular goal of this project to point out grid-providing as a portfolio extension not only for large enterprises, but also for SME.

Project funded by: BMBF
Project duration: 05/2007 - 04/2010

Project partners: