title: .net distributed grid computing migration, recommendations on libraries, architecture
body: <p>I have a <strong>c# multi-threaded monte carlo simulation</strong>, the application is already structured such that it can be partitioned by into Tasks that execute independently, a TaskController executes Tasks, aggregates intermediate results, checks for convergence (early termination criteria) then returns final results, this is currently implemented using a ThreadPool.</p>
  
  <p>I'd <strong>like to leverage more than one computer to aid in this calculation</strong>. I don't have approval or infrastructure to use IIS (this is policy not going to change) but I can use for example <strong>WCF with the NetTcpBinding</strong> endpoint binding, I've tested this communication across server and it has the appropriate permissions and works.</p>
  
  <p>To start I'm thinking have one master exe (console app) and several slaves on other servers as dedicated workers (should these be exes? or windows services?), eventually I could have this set to run on <strong>hundreds of workstations</strong> (as well as servers) within the company during <strong>idle time</strong> (or when a screensaver is active).</p>
  
  <p>I could write this myself, but I'll have to handle communications, 1, 2-way? early termination (intermediate convergence result checking), cancelling tasks no longer required, deployment of work, discovery of available and ready Machines for deployment of work, throttling/pausing of work if a workstation is no longer idle? everything else that goes in a distributed system? </p>
  
  <p>Should the master (task controller) know the addresses (ip) of all the slave workers and tell them to do work (if they are available) or should the slave workers just know the master address and request work when they are in a position to do so, or communication should flow both ways? This will run on a <strong>24 hour clock</strong> with about 9 runs kicked off per day to support different business regions.</p>
  
  <p>I am looking for recommendations for <strong>.net grid/distributed libraries</strong> that can help and some architecture advice in this endeavour.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Update</strong></p>
  
  <p>Has anyone experience using any of the following?</p>
  
  <pre><code>http://www.digipede.net/ (commercial)
  http://www.gridbus.org/~alchemi/
  http://ngrid.sourceforge.net/
  http://www.osl.iu.edu/research/mpi.net/
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>or used JavaSpaces, Jini from .net or found equivalent .net technologies</p>
  
  <pre><code>http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/tools/JavaSpaces/
  http://www.jini.org
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>