Chris, Your posting at http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/tsc/2006-November/000110.html is pretty interesting. DOD is committed to building net-centric systems (collaboration grids) so that data and information are available where and when needed. The creation of information from data is where a significant throughput issue lies. Data volumes are expanding at a tremendous rate, as is the complexity of algorithms used to process that data. Yet, timelines are shrinking. The expectation is that once data is collected, information should be readily available globally. How throughput plays in a collaboration grid is an interesting topic since we have traditionally thought of throughput as a "stand alone" capability. As timelines shrink, computational capability for collaboration grids is going to be needed so that, in fact, information can quickly be derived from large volumes of data using highly complex algorithms. That is why I think cluster processing grids, distributed processing grids, and other ways to provide high throughput need to be somehow integrated with collaboration grids and data center grids. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks, Peter. Peter G. Raeth, Ph.D. Research Engineer, Specialist in Adaptive Automation Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Advanced Geospatial Group 2875 Presidential Drive, Suite 180 Fairborn Ohio 45324-6269 USA praeth@ball.com 937-320-6043 VOICE, 937-429-1687 FAX