Clustering is one technology used to create a grid infrastructure. Simple clusters have static resources for specific applications by specific owners.
Grids, which can consist of multiple clusters, are dynamic resource pools shareable among many different applications and users. A grid does not assume that all servers in it are running the same set of applications. Applications can be scheduled and migrated across servers in the grid. Grids share resources from and among independent system owners.
At the highest level, the idea of grid computing is computing as a utility. In other words, we need not care where our data resides or which computer processes our request. We should be able to request information or computation and have it delivered as per our requirement. This is analogous to the way the electric utilities work; without knowing where the generator is or how the electric grid is wired, we just ask for electricity and we get it. The goal is to make computing a utility, a commodity, and ubiquitous. Hence the name ‘Grid’. This perspective of utility computing is, of course, a ‘client-side’ view.
From the ‘server-side’ (or behind the scenes), the grid is about resource allocation, information sharing, and high availability. Resource allocation ensures that all those, who request resources, are getting what they need and that those resources are not standing idle while requests go unserviced. Information sharing makes sure that the information, the users and applications need, is available as and when it is requested for. High availability features guarantee that all the data and computation are always available as a utility.
