1. A method of managing a workflow failure in a distributed computing environment of a computing grid, comprising: identifying, by using a processor, a first element of a workflow that does not successfully execute in the distributed computing network of the computing grid, wherein the computing grid comprises a grid management for allocating resources among one or more grid components to provide parallel processing of a plurality of elements of the workflow, wherein the workflow comprises a hierarchy with at least a parent element having a plurality of child elements, wherein each of the plurality of elements of the workflow is associated with a retry value that indicates a maximum number of times the corresponding element of the workflow can be retried; retrying the first element that does not successfully execute a number of times equal to an associated retry value for the first element, wherein the associated retry value is a first retry value; and In response to the first element not successfully executing after retrying the number of times equal to the first value, determining whether the first element has a parent element and retrying the parent element according to a retry value associated with the parent element such that retries proceed up the hierarchy to a higher parent element when any of the plurality of child elements does not successfully execute.