Abstract: Grid Computing is the next big thing; at least according to many articles in recent newspapers and magazines, and in the opinion of the IT vendor community. In this presentation, we will briefly introduce the concept of Grid Computing, analyze the current status of grid technology and implementation, and what's real and what's hype. We will then present MCNC's grid strategy, the NC Statewide Grid, MCNC's grid computing and networking services and projects, and conclude with an outlook into the future.

Short Bio: Wolfgang Gentzsch is the managing director of MCNC Grid Computing \& Networking Services, a non-profit organization in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. After leading grid technology development at Sun Microsystems for four years, he joined MCNC in April 2004. He is also an adjunct professor of computer science at NC State.

Wolfgang joined Sun as senior director of grid computing in 2000 -- when it acquired Gridware, a distributed computing software company that he founded in 1990 (then Genias Software). Gridware's technology is the foundation for the Grid Engine distributed resource management software. From 1985 to 2000, he was teaching mathematics and computer science at the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg, Germany. From 1979 to 1985, he served as the head of computational fluid dynamics and supercomputing at the German Agency for Aerospace and Aeronautics.