Contextualised workflow execution in myGrid

Abstract

e-Scientists stand to benefit from tools and environments that either hide, or help to manage, the inherent complexity involved in accessing and making concerted use of the diverse resources that might be used as part of an in silico experiment. This paper illustrates the benefits that derive from the provision of integrated access to contextual information that links the phases of a problem-solving activity, so that the steps of a solution do not happen in isolation, but rather as the components of a coherent whole. Experiences with my Grid workflow execution environment (Taverna) are presented, where an information model provides the conceptual basis for contextualisation. This information model describes key characteristics that are shared by many e-Science activities, and is used both to organise the scientist's personal data resources, and to support data sharing and capture within the myGrid environment. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.