Globally Distributed Data

Abstract

The management of globally distributed data is simplified through the use of data grids which enable data sharing environments. Data grids provide both the interoperability mechanisms needed to interact with legacy storage systems and legacy applications, as well as the logical name spaces needed to identify files, resources, and users. Data grids also provide support for consistent management of state information about each file within the distributed environment. The state information includes access controls, descriptive metadata, and administration metadata. These capabilities enable data virtualization, the ability to manage data independently of the chosen storage repositories. Applications that manage globally distributed data include data grid federations, distributed digital libraries, and distributed persistent archives.