A component based services architecture for building distributedapplications

摘要

Describes an approach to building a distributed software componentsystem for scientific and engineering applications that is based onrepresenting Computational Grid services as application-level softwarecomponents. These Grid services provide tools such as registry anddirectory services, event services and remote component creation. Whilea service-based architecture for grids and other distributed systems isnot new, this framework provides several unique features. First, thepublic interfaces to each software component are described as XMLdocuments. This allows many adaptors and user interfaces to be generatedfrom the specification dynamically. Second, this system is designed toexploit the resources of existing Grid infrastructures like Globus andLegion, and commercial Internet frameworks like e-speak. Third, and mostimportant, the component-based design extends throughout the system.Hence, tools such as application builders, which allow users to selectcomponents, start them on remote resources, and connect and executethem, are also interchangeable software components. Consequently, it ispossible to build distributed applications using a graphical“drag-and-drop” interface, a Web-based interface, ascripting language like Python, or an existing tool such as Matlab