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31/03/04
“Exploit the power of Grid Computing, or lose the competitive advantage”, warns IAP Grid Taskforce Review
The UK’s ‘strength’ industries of Digital Media, Financial Services, Engineering and Life Sciences must begin to exploit the potential benefits of Grid Computing, or run the risk of missing new market opportunities.
This is according to ‘Unlocking the Grid’, the report launched today by the Information Age Partnership (IAP) Grid Taskforce, a working group established by the IAP to identify the potential for exploitation of Grid technologies within the UK.
Unlocking the Grid: IAP Grid Taskforce Report (pdf 922KB)
Speaking at the launch of the report, John Higgins, Grid Taskforce Chairman, and Director General of Intellect, said, “The Taskforce strongly recommends that the UK Government acts quickly to apply and exploit the Grid across a wide range of industry sectors. If it does not then the UK will be unable to benefit from its unique expertise as a global service provider, and will miss the opportunity to lead in the bourgeoning new services market, as well as to benefit from new delivery mechanisms for existing services – ultimately failing to meet its competitiveness agenda.”
In order to exploit the potential benefits of Grid, the Taskforce recommends the creation of pilot ‘Grid Services Consortia’ (GSC). These GSC will provide core UK expertise in Grid exploitation, by bringing together information technology and telecommunications service providers, major stakeholder leaders, middleware providers, specialist SMEs and application tools providers, with a clear focus on developing novel application services in their selected sector specialism.
It is the recommendation of the Taskforce, that the aim of each GSC should be to develop expertise in managing Grid infrastructure, deploying Grid applications in production environment, and in disseminating key expertise and best practice on exploitation of Grid benefits. It is the Taskforces’ view that this will lever existing e-science projects and build on Grid investments by DTI and Research Councils.
Concluding John Higgins said, “The Taskforce recommendations will change the way UK companies work for the better, by providing access to resources more efficiently, by combining resources/services in a way not previously possible, and by allowing the exploitation of the dynamic creation of high value trading relationships.”
The benefits of adopting the Taskforce Grid recommendations will be:
About the IAP
Created in 1998, the Information Age Partnership (IAP) is a think tank which brings together Government Ministers, CEOs and key figures within the IT, electronics and communications industries. It purpose is to define the key growth areas, and to highlight where strategic leadership between Government and industry is required if the UK is to drive, and not merely respond, to future waves of global development.
By way of a three tier structure (Partnership, Executive and Task Groups) the IAP identifies key policy considerations as well as implements projects and forms working groups to commit resources and take forward the overall objective of making the UK the best place for e-business.
About the IAP Grid Taskforce
The IAP Grid Taskforce is a working group established by the IAP to identify the potential for exploitation of Grid technologies, and to recommend the strategy and actions for the UK to achieve the benefits arising.
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