In this month's issue of the Globus Consortium Journal, we address what has become a popular criticism of open source Grid - that it's a science experiment, narrowly suited for niche research and academic environments.

It is true, of course, that many open source Grid efforts (Globus Toolkit included), were born out of universities, the national laboratory system or similar academic circles. And it is true that individuals associated with such programs tend to be computing trailblazers / pioneers, and more willing to take the leap into uncharted waters. But it is also true that many of today's most compelling e-Science Grids were developed with the extensive participation the IT vendor community.

So in addition to highlighting some interesting projects underway today in open source Grid, this month's issue of the Globus Consortium Journal seeks to dispel the myth that enterprise Grids and e-Science Grids are on divergent paths. Each side, in fact, has much to learn from the other - and the Globus Consortium members are very much behind the collaboration between the two respective sides.

As Globus Toolkit usage continues to creep into enterprise settings, I am convinced that one of the most important efforts will be to create more exact reference models that compare how the Globus Toolkit is being used in e-Science today, and to overlay those examples against common enterprise IT scenarios in which the Globus Toolkit might be an equally effective solution. While much of the "Grid is just an e-Science experiment", FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) is unsubtantiated, unfortunately, it's a perception that has gone unchecked for too long. To overcome these false perceptions, it's time for the open source Grid community to share more specific usage examples, technical specs, and exact results that can help the enterprise community see that this is not conceptual vaporware - but a legitimate solution to real-world problems.

As always, I invite my open source Grid colleagues to share perspectives, insights and suggestions.

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