Towards a Semantic Grid Architecture

The Semantic Grid is an extension of the current Grid in which information and services are given well defined and explicitly represented meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. In the last few years, several projects have embraced this vision and there are already successful pioneering applications that combine the strengths of the Grid and of semantic technologies. However, the Semantic Grid currently lacks a reference architecture, or a systematic approach for designing Semantic Grid components or applications. We need a Reference Semantic Grid Architecture that extends the Open Grid Services Architecture by explicitly defining the mechanisms that will allow for the explicit use of semantics and the associated knowledge to support a spectrum of service capabilities. An architecture would have (at least) three major components which are depicted in the extended abstract.