Grid computing

Grid computing is a calculation technique where the resources of a large number of computers are shared; the computers may differ considerably from each other and be geographically remote, and are linked through the internet or other specialised networks.

This technique takes advantage of the unused processor time of the computers. It allows problems to be solved that could not be handled by a supercomputer in a realistic amount of time.

This should not be confused with a cluster of generally identical computers all in one place.