Patent ID: 7568006

Claim:
A computer implemented method for providing access to a computing grid, comprising: providing a design automation application, wherein the design automation application is configured to process a design automation task, wherein the design automation task comprises (i) a sequence of commands to be evaluated by a command interpreter of the design automation application, wherein the command interpreter comprises both a Tcl command interpreter and a Tcl child interpreter, wherein the Tcl child interpreter is configured to prevent the design automation task from at least one of invoking any system or shell commands, performing file input or output, accessing network services, and from invoking other commands unnecessary for processing the design automation task and (ii) a set of data representing an electronic circuit, wherein the sequence of commands is executed by the Tcl child interpreter; providing an interface for a user of a computer system to transmit the design automation task to the computing grid; receiving, from a requesting entity, the design automation task and a request to process the design automation task; invoking an instance of the design automation application on the computing grid; providing the design automation task to the instance of the design automation application; evaluating, using the Tcl command interpreter and the Tcl child interpreter, the set of commands included in the design automation task, wherein the Tcl child interpreter prevents the design automation task from invoking at least a first command included in the sequence of commands unnecessary for processing the design automation task; and returning results of the evaluation to the requesting entity.