This requirement is related to the enabling technologies which underpin any grid solution and as such any improvements should be widely applicable.
GridFTP along with peer to peer libraries and other download accelerators, provide an effective group of methods for transferring large amounts of information. However the GridFTP server is currently only available on *nix systems. The use of Windows is widespread, and as the aim of BEinGRID is to promote the adoption of grid technologies by business, removing barriers to businesses and their markets is clearly important. The different methods available for transferring large files also have their own costs and benefits and a system that could allow easy switching of different transfer technologies could prove invaluable to businesses exploring the use of grid technologies for the first time.
Work on GridFTP or other approaches to data transfer, will have to consider security of the data in transit since the security of data is critical to most businesses.
© 2007 BEinGRID