Patent ID: 8041798

Claim:
A grid computing system, comprising: a grid comprising a plurality of compute nodes each implemented on one of one or more computer devices and each participating in the grid with current grid software on the respective computer device to perform one or more compute jobs; a separate computer device that during operations implements a master node that manages membership of the grid and job submission of the grid; wherein, to manage the membership of the grid, the master node configures computer devices as additional compute nodes in the grid and removes compute nodes from the grid, wherein, to configure a computer device as an additional compute node in the grid, the master node sends grid configuration information to the compute node in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols, wherein the additional compute nodes are members of the grid and are capable of receiving compute jobs from the master node, wherein removed compute nodes are not members of the grid and are not capable of receiving compute jobs from the master node, and wherein the grid configuration information includes an indication of current grid software for the respective computer device to perform one or more compute jobs on the respective compute node; wherein, to manage job submission of the grid, the master node distributes compute jobs submitted to the master node by one or more job submitters to the compute nodes in the grid for execution in accordance with the one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols and provides results of said execution to the one or more job submitters; and a separate computer device that during operations implements a backup master node that: detects that the master node is down in accordance with the one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols; and assumes said management of the grid in response to said detection.