Peer4Peer: e-Science Community for Network Overlay and Grid Computing Research

This chapter describes a novel approach to Grid and overlay network research that leverages distributed infrastructures and multi-core machines enabling increased simulation complexity and speed. We present its motivation, background, current shortcomings and the core architectural concepts of the novel research proposed. This is an on-going effort to further our peer-to-peer cycle-sharing platform by providing a scalable, efficient and reliable simulation substrate for the Grid and overlay topologies developed by the research community. Thus, Grid and overlay simulations are improved due to: 1) increased scalability of simulation tools with a novel parallel, distributed and decentralized architecture; 2) harnessing the power of idle CPU cycles spread around the Internet as a desktop Grid (over a peer-to-peer overlay); and 3) a framework for topology definition, dissemination, evaluation and reuse which eases Grid and overlay research. The infrastructure, simulation engine, topology modeling language, management services, and portal comprise a cloud-like platform for overlay research.