e-science and the Grid

Many areas of science involve access to distributed computing and data resources, specialized and expensive instruments for world-wide collaborations of scientists. There are many examples ranging from bioinformatics and astrophysics to collaborative engineering and earth observation. A new IT infrastructure called the Grid will enable scientists to maximize the science derived in such a fashion. The Web gave us easy access to html pages and information: the Grid will give us seamless access to a much wider range of distributed resources; it will enable us to form transient virtual organisations without compromising security or privacy.