---
title: "Grid, cluster and cloud systems"
subject: "Distributed System"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_7/distributed_system:grid-cluster-cloud"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/distributed_system/grid-cluster-cloud
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Grid, cluster and cloud systems

Distributed System · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: Model question
- Video: [Distributed System | Distributed Computing | Cluster Computing | Cloud Computing | Grid Computing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJiXLDItJSY) — Tech Xplore
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/distributed_system/grid-cluster-cloud
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/distributed_system/chapter-1

## Question

Explain the different types of distributed systems: grid, cluster, cloud.

## Short answer

Cluster computing uses homogeneous nodes on a fast LAN under one administration. Grid computing federates heterogeneous resources from multiple administrative domains using middleware. Cloud computing provides virtualized resources as IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS over the Internet with elastic, pay-per-use scaling.

## Answer

These are the main types of **distributed computing systems**, used for high-performance computing.

#### Cluster computing
A set of similar computers (nodes), connected by a high-speed LAN, working together as a single system under one administration, with each node usually running the same OS.
- Nodes are *homogeneous* and close together.
- A master node distributes the jobs to compute nodes.
- Uses: high-performance computing, web server farms, load balancing, high availability.
- Example: a Beowulf cluster.

#### Grid computing
A federation of heterogeneous computer systems from different administrative domains and sites, combined by software (middleware, for example Globus) to work on large tasks.
- Nodes differ in hardware, OS, network and security policies.
- Resources are shared by *virtual organisations*.
- Uses: scientific problems, such as particle physics (CERN LHC grid), SETI@home.
- Layers: fabric, connectivity, resource, collective, application.

#### Cloud computing
On-demand delivery of computing resources (servers, storage, applications) as a service over the Internet, with pay-per-use billing and elastic scaling.
- **Service models:** IaaS (virtual machines, AWS EC2), PaaS (Google App Engine) and SaaS (Gmail).
- **Deployment models:** public, private, hybrid, community.
- Resources are virtualised and shared by many tenants.

| Point | Cluster | Grid | Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nodes | Homogeneous, one site | Heterogeneous, many sites | Virtualised data centres |
| Administration | Single | Multiple | Provider-managed |
| Connection | Fast LAN | Wide-area network | Internet |
| Billing | Own hardware | Resource sharing | Pay per use |
| Scaling | Fixed, manual | By joining sites | Elastic, automatic |

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which describes a cluster?
   A. Homogeneous nodes on a fast LAN under one administration
   B. Heterogeneous nodes across many administrative domains
   C. Virtualised pay-per-use data centres
   D. Mobile devices on the Internet
   Answer: A. Clusters are similar computers close together working as one system. (Key point: Cluster)

2. What distinguishes grid computing?
   A. Identical nodes in one room
   B. Heterogeneous systems from different administrative domains combined by middleware
   C. Billing per use only
   D. A single administrator
   Answer: B. Grids federate diverse resources, shared by virtual organisations. (Key point: Grid)

3. Which is the correct pairing?
   A. IaaS: virtual machines such as AWS EC2; SaaS: Gmail
   B. IaaS: Gmail; SaaS: EC2
   C. PaaS: Gmail; SaaS: EC2
   D. IaaS: Google App Engine; PaaS: Gmail
   Answer: A. IaaS gives VMs, PaaS gives platforms like App Engine, SaaS gives applications like Gmail. (Key point: Cloud service models)

4. How does cloud differ in billing and scaling?
   A. Fixed manual scaling on own hardware
   B. Scaling by joining sites with no billing
   C. Pay per use with elastic automatic scaling
   D. Single administration with fixed capacity
   Answer: C. Cloud offers on-demand pay-per-use and elastic scaling. (Key point: Cloud billing and scaling)

## Related in Distributed System

- [Why NOS preferred over DOS](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fdistributed_system%3Anos-vs-dos-realization) — Distributed System, chapter 3, asked 2×
- [Heterogeneous model; DOS realization](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fdistributed_system%3Ahetero-model-dos-realized) — Distributed System, chapter 3

## Related in other subjects

- [Cloud and grid computing concepts](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finternet_and_intranet%3Acloud-grid-computing) — Internet and Intranet, chapter 7, asked 2×
- [pipe(); semaphore in distributed systems](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Foperating_system%3Apipe-semaphore-distributed) — Operating System, chapter 3
- [Distributed system and Hadoop](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finformation_system%3Adistributed-system-hadoop-voluminous-data) — Information System, chapter 8
- [Lumped vs distributed analysis, applications, protocols](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Frf_and_microwave_engineering%3Alumped-distributed-protocols) — RF and Microwave Engineering, chapter 1