Virtual Laboratory as a Remote and Interactive Access to the Scientific Instrumentation Embedded in Grid Environment

The following paper describes the key architecture elements of the Virtual Laboratory Project, which is developed in the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center. Project started in 2002, and since then the work was carried under different statesponsored grants and now is carried under EU FP6 IST projects. The authors will explain briefly the main ideas and key design elements behind this original concept. The current state of the project will be presented, as the project reached its production phase, and plans for the near and far future will be revealed. A special attention will be given to the concept and implementation of Digital Science Library, as it plays an important role in the scope of the whole system. Although the various aspects of this system were presented on workshops and conferences, this paper brings together all the pieces, and presents the overall look on the entire scope of this Virtual Laboratory System.