Efficient techniques for distributed computing

We discuss a set of novel techniques we are developing, which build on standard tools, to make distributed computing for large-scale simulations across multiple machines (even scattered across different continents) a reality. With these techniques we demonstrate that we are able to scale a tightly coupled scientific application in metacomputing environments. Such research and development in metacomputing will lead the way to routine, straightforward and efficient use of distributed computing resources anywhere around the world. This work applies not only to the large-scale simulations in astrophysics which provide the motivation for this work, but also opens the way for new, innovative application scenarios.