SANDS VO: E-LEARNING SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE FOR GRID ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Network oriented e-learning systems meet common challenges of modern distributed systems and need a secure and effective way to manage and reuse shared resources in the constantly changing heterogeneous environ-ments. Web service based Service Oriented Architectures and Grid software provide a technological and infrastructural background for advanced realization of the systems supporting dynamic Virtual Organizations (VO). The material of this paper is drawn from the experience gained during the implementation of a prototype for the Science and Studies (SandS) VO system on Globus Toolkit of Grid middleware. The paper presents the architectural framework of SandS VO focusing on security issues and dynamic nature of the distributed learning environment which is illustrated by the first fully implemented service of this e-learning system – the Assessment Service.