1. Applications for grid computing in this case include medical diagnosis and financial transaction processing. What other areas do you think would be well suited to the use of grid computing and why? Provide several examples from organizations other than those included in the case.

2. The joint effort by IBM and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey works by digitalizing medical diagnoses on the World Community Grid (WCG). What are the advantages and disadvantages of relying on a volunteer based network such as this? Provide examples of both. Visit the Web site of the WCG to inform your answer.

3. IBM, Wachovia, and PayPal are arguably large organizations. However, several vendors have started offering computing power for rent to smaller companies, using the principles underlying grid computing. How could small and medium companies benefit from these technologies? Search the Internet for these offerings to help you research your answer.

IBM researchers and a team of doctors are building a database of digital images they hope will enable oncologists to diagnose and treat cancer patients faster and with more success. Researchers at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey have digitized CAT scans, MRIs, and other images using a high-performance system and computational time on the World Community Grid, also known as the world's largest public computing grid.