SONM vs iExec
iExec (I Execute) is a distributed GRID computing platform somewhat similar to SONM. GRID computing distributes demanding High Performance Computing (HPC) applications across participating computing nodes. The Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, is a high-profile example of this sort of HPC project. It is led by CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, and is dedicated to processing data produced by Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments at CERN.
According to Tasca, SONM’s fog computing concept is more flexible.
“The key difference is that iExec is for GRID [computing], while SONM is for general computing,” explained Tasca. “SONM can run both deterministic and non-deterministic tasks. A non-deterministic algorithm is an algorithm that exhibits different behaviors on different runs, even on the same input, as opposed to a deterministic algorithm. The non-deterministic algorithm, then, can be used to process non-deterministic tasks that need continuously different behavior patterns, like video streaming, while deterministic algorithms suit deterministic tasks that need precise scientific calculations, like bioinformatics.”
The concept of a non-deterministic algorithm could sound self-contradictory and even oxymoronic, but Tasca went on to explain how it is used in the SONM context. A deterministic task will produce the same output if it is launched on different machines, possibly at different times. If two machines running a deterministic task produce results that don't match, then one machine may be malfunctioning or its owner may be cheating.
Under the SONM paradigm, a non-deterministic task is a task wherein its definition and input is not completely defined by its owner. “It means that, while execution will take place, the task will look for or accept additional information from an outer scope. For example, if a task internally makes use of random numbers, or it is serving external requests (not defined by the task owner), then the task results may differ. If you launch such a task on two machines, the results may vary.”
For example, a web server produces results that depend on the HTTP requests received, and those requests are not part of the task definition. Similarly, a game server can use light tracing simulations driven by random numbers.
“The SONM network not only processes scientific calculations for projects like drug development, bioinformatics and aerodynamics,” concluded Tasca, “the system can also deal with non-deterministic projects, from site hosting to game servers. This latter aspect makes the SONM network a universal tool for running computing tasks of whatever difficulty.”
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/sonm-universal-fog-supercomputer-powered-ethereum-blockchain/#1504630485