title: Computing grid unlocks research
abstract: Under the UK government's spending review in 2000 the Office of Science and Technology was allocated Pounds 98m to establish a three year e-science research and development programme. The programme has a bold vision: to change the dynamic of the way science is undertaken. The term 'e-science' was introduced by John Taylor, director general of research councils in the Office of Science and Technology. He saw many areas of science becoming increasingly reliant on new ways of collaborative, multidisciplinary, interorganisation working. E-science is intended to capture these new modes of working. There are two major components to the programme: the science, and the infrastructure to support that science. The infrastructure is generally referred to as the Grid. The choice of name resonates with the idea of a future in which computing resources and storage, as well as expensive scientific facilities and software, can be accessed on demand, like electricity. Open source prototypes of the middleware are available and under development as part of the e-science programme and other international efforts
keyphrases: e-science collaboration computing resources software open source prototypes middleware UK programme grid computing scientific research