7.1 GC: Benefits and Limitations

In this book we have introduced the use of GC to solve EM problems. After recalling basic concepts on parallel and distributed computing, as well as on Web technologies, in Chapter 1 foundations for GC are proposed. Chapter 2 describes the candidate technologies to support GC, electing GT as the reference tool for the remainder of the book. On such a basis, Chapter 3 is a practical guide to build up a grid.

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 are oriented towards specific applications of GC to EM. In Chapter 4, the attention is focused on the numerical solution of human-antenna interaction problems, using parallel FDTD codes. This is a classical example of applications with a strong HPC demand. The GC solution to the addressed problem demonstrates one of its immediate benefits: the suitability to achieve substantial speed ups with very low costs. This is especially due to the potentially infinite availability of computational nodes to be enrolled in the grid. Most of the time, this implies that the grid operates in a wide area environment, where dedicated connectivity is not necessarily available. This can be critical when referring to parallel applications with an intensive demand on data communication. In such a case, bandwidth is a critical factor for success. Consequently, a capillary penetration of broadband connectivity is definitely a key point for future improvement of HPC grid EM applications.

In Chapter 5, the CAE of aperture-array antennas is addressed in a GC framework. The...