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New Apple Trademark: 'XGrid'

Xgrid ='s GameRanger like network for .Mac?

Maybe Xgrid is the next generation of online gaming Mac -> Mac or Mac -> PC multiplayer action on Xserve. Probably part of .Mac?

Any thoughts?

-backdraft
 
If this were Slashdot...

One word: Beowulf

Imagine a Beowulf cluster of Xserves working on some protein strands or dna sequences. Scientific progression? I think so.
 
XGrid = Apple Xserve + GridIron

I think this news refers to a presentation I saw in Montréal 2 weeks ago. Apple Canada and a Ottawa company named GridIron demonstrate a clustering technology that use a cluster of 8 dual 1Ghz Xserve to render a complex fractal image. On Titaniun, the render takes more than 1 hour and with the Gridiron soft and the Xserves it takes less than 30 seonds. They also demonstrate a search in a protein database names Blast. On a mainframe that search takes more than an hour and on the cluster it takes less than 2 minutes. I dont remember the exact numbers but i was very, very, very impressed. Powerful, simple to use, helpfull...

I also know that this week, GridIron team is in Cupertino... For a big meeting on biotechnology and distributed calculation.

I saw a link with these events and this news.
 
The Gridiron application sounds very intriuging. It would have good implications for the SFX and Scientific markets. I'm led to believe that it is some sort of distributed computing.
 
I was just thinking, we the app keynote now available to take over powerpoint, could this be the app for excel. i mean x"grid", wouldnt the windows of excel look sortof like a grid, who knows. guess we will have to see.

iJon
 
Originally posted by wrylachlan
Over at the forums on Ars Technica, someone posted about having heard a speach about future grid computing initiatives, and one of those was X-Grid from Apple. Apparently it uses rendezvous to find computing power on the net and perform tasks. Check it out.

http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?a=tpc&s=50009562&f=8300945231&m=6380998745
Click to expand...

The question is wheither or not this would allow non-network compatible/aware and/or non-multithreaded software take advantage of the shared computer grid.

What would this do companies like Lightwave (Newtek) and Maya who currently charge for each license on the render-farm. Would this service allow the user to use only one license for modeling and take advantage of a bunch of dummy machines for rendering? Sounds good to me!!

As far as Photoshop goes, I don't think that there will be an advantage at all (unless it is Batch image processing).
 
Originally posted by nighthawk


The question is wheither or not this would allow non-network compatible/aware and/or non-multithreaded software take advantage of the shared computer grid.
Click to expand...

Non-multithreaded software cannot be executed in parallel. However, a good clustering system wouldn't require apps to be aware of it (any more than they're aware of dual processors, that is), it would just treat the other machines as more processors with different scheduling latencies (probably by using mach processor groups).
 
i think this distributed computing idea is great. even if it's not what xgrid is, apple should start the progam. imagine what we could accomplish with the spare cycles on every mac going towards a good cause. sweet. :cool:
 
Originally posted by Catfish_Man


Non-multithreaded software cannot be executed in parallel. However, a good clustering system wouldn't require apps to be aware of it (any more than they're aware of dual processors, that is), it would just treat the other machines as more processors with different scheduling latencies (probably by using mach processor groups).
Click to expand...

So, you are saying that a single-threaded application will not have any benefit, right? Then would a multi-threaded application be required to have as many threads as there are potential processors? Or would there be one processor that only handles process requests, and delegates them to the waiting processors?
 
We Are All Part Of The XGrid

XGrid could be another name for THE MATRIX! Oh no, our beloved Apple is implementing a system to enslave humanity. Look at the proof: Matrix-style screen savers are available for the Mac. The Earth's surface is allready becoming unbearable. We are all doomed!!!

Seriously though, if XGrid is a variation on the Bewulf Clusters then I hope that pro applications like Final Cut Pro & Maya can take advantage of other Macs on a network to render effects, QuickTime movies, etc. If XGrid is anything like that then several XServes would suffice for a budget priced rendering farm.
 
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