On Hierarchical, Parallel, and Distributed Components for Grid Programming
Françoise Baudé, Denis Caromel, Matthieu Morel · Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks · 2005
We propose a parallel and distributed component model for building applications adapted to the hierarchical, highly distributed, highly heterogeneous nature of Grids. Instead of featuring a flat assembly model as for instance in the CCM and CCA models, we claim that a hierachical assembly model should ease the building and dynamic reconfiguration of component oriented Grid applications. The proposed model and associated framework is based on ProActive, a middleware (programming model and environment) for object oriented parallel, mobile, and distributed computing. We have extended ProActive by implementing a hierarchical and dynamic component model, named Fractal, so as to master the complexity and scalability of composition and deployment. This defines a concept of components for the Grid: primitive or composite, made of several activities, parallel and distributed. Components communicate using typed one-to-one or collective invocations on interfaces. Composition of interfaces and of other properties such as the one pertaining to the deployment of components are specifically addressed.