Visual parameteric modeler for rapid composition of parameter-sweep applications for processing on global Grids

Abstract

Grids are emerging as a platform for the next-generation parallel and distributed computing. Large-scale parametric studies and parameter sweep applications find a natural place in the Grid's distribution model. There is little or no communication between jobs. The task of parallelising and distributing existing applications is conceptually trivial. These properties of parametric studies make it an ideal place to start developing integrated development environments (IDEs) for rapidly Grid-enabling applications. However, there is a lack of the availability of IDEs for scientists to Grid-enable their applications, without the need of developing them as parallel applications explicitly. This paper presents a Java based IDE called Visual Parameteric Modeler (VPM), developed as part of the Gridbus project, for rapid creation of parameter sweep applications. It supports automatic creation of parameter script and parameterisation of input data files, which is compatible with the Nimrod-G parameter specification language. The usefulness of VPM is demonstrated by a case study on a composition of molecular docking application as a parameter sweep application. Such applications can be deployed on clusters using the Nimrod/enFuzion system and on global Grids using the Nimrod-G grid resource broker. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.