National research cloud will allow for rapid sharing and collaboration on data

Computing and computer power has long been an important part of an Australian researcher’s way of working. But while there are many significant e-research infrastructure initiatives in place in Australia, cloud computing at a national scale, accessible to all researchers, has not been addressed - until now.

The National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources (NeCTAR) project is partnering with Australian research institutions to create a national research cloud purpose-built for Australian researchers. The University of Melbourne commissioned the first node of the NeCTAR research cloud on 31 January 2012. Further nodes of the cloud will be commissioned by other research institutions throughout 2012.

The cloud will empower researchers with self-service abilities to publish research data, share knowledge, and deploy and access software applications without the burden of operating their own computer servers. Researchers will be able to respond rapidly to new developments through instant access to scalable computing resources and applications. Computational results will be easily shared with national and international collaboration partners.

NeCTAR’s Director, Associate Professor Glenn Moloney, said it is an exciting and innovative time to be an Australian researcher. “The research cloud provides Australian researchers with many efficiencies and benefits, such as reducing barriers to the rapid sharing of innovative research applications and computer power from a single server to thousands of servers. Researchers can easily put their great ideas, tools, research applications and data online, instantly.

“NeCTAR’s national research cloud is an Australian first; providing flexible and scalable computer power at any time, accessible to all Australian researchers. As an Australian secure platform to share access to research applications, the NeCTAR cloud supports the increasingly collaborative nature of Australian research.”

The national research cloud is one of four program areas of the NeCTAR project - a $47 million project funded from the Australian Government’s Super Science Initiative to create specialist research infrastructure to serve the needs of Australian researchers.

NeCTAR is partnering with other research infrastructure projects such as the Australian Government-funded Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) project and the Australian National Data Service to provide cloud users with access to significant Australian research data holdings. The Australian Access Federation, also supported by the Australian Government, provides the national authentication services for NeCTAR’s Research Cloud.

NeCTAR is financed through the Education Investment Fund. The University of Melbourne is the lead agent, appointed by the Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.