Grid Computing Using Instant MessagingABSTRACT [0044] The present invention provides a system (100,100a) for sharing computer resources in a grid network using Instant Messaging (IM). A contact listing engine (170) also includes a brokering engine (171); this allows a job to be submitted to a group of resource nodes (151,152, etc) selected from a contact list (172, 172a) generated by the contact listing engine (170). By creating a job specification, whichdefines a number of nodes to execute the job as one of the parameters, the job is operable to be split into a number of job units. A predetermined resource node from the group of selected resource nodes acts as a supervisory node for splitting the job, consolidating the results of each completed job units, and sending the consolidated job result to the requestor IM client (user) (161, 162, etc). In one embodiment (100), theentire grid computing system uses an IM system. In another embodiment (100a), the grid computing is a sub-net of a large IM network; the IM system (100a) further includes a client authorisation server (190).[0045] FIG. 7 for publication.
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