The Virtual Data Toolkit (VDT) is an ensemble of grid software that can be easily installed and configured. In our experience, installing grid software from scratch is challenging and time consuming. The goal of the VDT is to make it as easy as possible for users to deploy, maintain and use grid software. Ideally, you just type a single-command and you can immediately access grid resources or provide your resources to others. In reality, it is a bit more work than that, but not much.
The VDT is a product of the Open Science Grid (OSG), which uses the VDT as its grid middleware distribution. OSG, and therefore the VDT, are funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
Before OSG was funded, the VDT was a product of the GriPhyN, iVDGL, and PPDG collaborations.
Even if you are not a member of the Open Science Grid, you are welcome to install and use the VDT software.
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The VDT contains a wide variety of grid software as well as the software that it depends on. For example, the VDT includes common grid software like Condor-G ® and Globus ®, and VOMS, and much more. But it also provides supporting software like Apache, Tomcat, and MySQL. There are also many other software components that help run grid sites, like software to update CA certificate revocation lists (fetch-crl), software to assist with local authorization policies (GUMS) accounting software, and much more.
Here is a complete list of what is included in VDT 2.0.0, our latest stable release of the VDT.
We have extensive documentation on all released versions of the VDT.
More information about VDT 2.0.0, the current stable release of the VDT.