Recommended Reading: Globus Toolkit 4, Programming Java Services

When middleware developers write about Grid, they typically describe it in very implementation-centric terms, focusing on very low-level details. When visionaries write about Grid, they tend to focus on lofty concepts and future directions. So often lost in the shuffle are the novice application developers that simply want to cut their teeth and start building systems.

With the release of "Globus Toolkit 4, Programming Java Services", developers now have access to the first ever, truly developer-friendly printed guide to GT4. As Ian Foster and Carl Kesselman say in the book's foreword, "The aspiring Grid programmer need be frustrated no longer. Borja Sotomayor and Lisa Childers have produced, in 'Globus Toolkit 4: Programming Java Services', a masterly tutorial text that is surely destined to find a place beside every Grid programmers keyboard."

A Book for Programmers

"One of the things that this book strives to do is to make unimportant details fall away," said Childers. "It's really focused on issues that programmers need to care about."

"We wanted it to be something that developers can read sequentially from beginning to end, to guide the reader through the labyrinth of concepts and features in GT4," said Sotomayor. "Advanced users can take the book and review certain concepts they may be a bit fuzzy on, but it is mainly a book written for beginners -- to help make GT4 more approachable."

And few people are more qualified to put this book together than Childers and Sotomayor. Childers is the technical product manager of the Globus Toolkit, and Sotomayor is the author of the GT4 and GT3 online tutorials, which form the heart of the book's exercises. Both authors have been active participants in the Globus community for a number of years, and have led countless workshops and tutorials for aspiring developers.

Clear and Concise Explanations

"Globus Toolkit 4, Programming Java Services" kicks off with clear and concise explanations of baseline Grid concepts and technical frameworks. "When I was an engineering student using GT3 alpha for my engineering thesis," recalls Sotomayor, "I was overwhelmed by all the different concepts: OGSA, Web services, security... even Grid Computing as a whole. As a programmer, it was frustrating to have to read very abstract academic papers and specifications to decipher those concepts, instead of having a more pragmatic, programmer-friendly introduction." From reading the book, it is clear that the authors don't forget how difficult it can be to grasp new and complex concepts. In fact, the explanations on key concepts of grid computing, OGSA, WSRF and Web Services may be just what the confused Grid masses need to make the light bulb go on in their heads. Likewise, the chapter on fundamental security concepts, which touches on the topics of secure communication, cryptography, public key systems and certificates, is recommended reading, not just for aspiring Grid pros, but anyone looking to understand these important security concepts in a few short pages.

Service-Oriented Architectures

The book's first programming example is built around a simple web service called "MathService". It is through MathService that fundamental mechanics of GT4 Java service programming are illustrated. However, the book does not stop there. One of the book's highlights is the example application called "FileBuy". FileBuy is a resource brokering system that has real world enterprise applications. "Despite being a simple example," explains Childers, "FileBuy illustrates some interesting GT4-based interactions in a system composed of multiple services."

"FileBuy also demonstrates the power of standards and Service-Oriented Architectures," continued Childers, "Thanks to GT4's implementation of standards, it is easy to build systems composed of heterogeneous, yet interoperable, services."

"SOA have created a well-known way of designing distributed applications," added Sotomayor. "Working with FileBuy, you'll see that GT4's Java programming model eases the burden of building such systems."

A Sense of Enthusiasm

The book alternates between rigorous, well-crafted explanations and outbursts of informality that might catch the reader by surprise. The very first paragraph of the book, for example, describes GT4 as "a really groovy piece of software!" Childers explains that "in the book, we've tried to communicate our enthusiasm for Globus software and Grid Computing in general. We're very excited at what can be accomplished with Grid Computing! In fact, it is our hope that readers approach the text with curiosity and a willingness to experiment - so they can come up with their own interesting applications."

"I know it sounds cliched, but we both had a lot of fun writing the book, and I think that somehow made it into the text itself", adds Sotomayor, "we really wanted readers to stop occasionally and be able to think 'hey, this is actually pretty cool'".

In conclusion, "Globus Toolkit 4, Programming Java Services" is a book that will surely find its way to the bookshelves of Grid aficionados and gurus alike. Those who simply seek a high-level introduction to Grid Computing and GT4 will enjoy the introductory chapters. Developers, on the other hand, will have plenty to tinker with thanks to all the examples included in the book. And don't forget the appendices, which are worth their weight in gold as a quick reference to many topics.

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