The Helix Nebula Science Cloud (HNSciCloud) initiative aims to procure innovative cloud computing services from commercial providers to create a hybrid cloud platform for the European research community. Led by research organizations like CERN, the procurement process began in 2016 with a tender that received many responses. The project is funded through 2020 to establish contracts with cloud providers like IBM, RHEA, and INDRA to provide scalable computing and storage resources integrated with European e-infrastructures.

1. HELIX NEBULA Initiative
HELIX NEBULA The Science Cloud
Dr Helge Meinhard / CERN-IT
RDA Deutschland
28-Nov-2016

2. Helix Nebula Initiative (HNI)
Founded five years ago
More than 40 service providers, research organisations, data
providers, publicly-funded e-infrastructures
Developed a hybrid cloud model
Includes procurement and governance components
More info: http://www.helix-nebula.eu/
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3. HELIX NEBULA The Science Cloud
Procurers: CERN, CNRS, DESY, EMBL-EBI, ESRF, IFAE, INFN, KIT, SURFSara, STFC
Experts: Trust-IT & EGI.eu
Procurers have committed funds (>1.6M€), manpower, use-cases with
applications & data, in-house IT resources
Objective: procure innovative IaaS level cloud services
• Fully and seamlessly integrating commercial cloud (Iaas) resources with in-
house resources and European e-Infrastructures
• To form a hybrid cloud platform for science
Services will be made available to end-users from many research communities:
High-energy physics, astronomy, life sciences, neutron/photon sciences, long
tail of science
Co-funded via H2020 (Jan’16-Jun’18) as a Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP)
project: Grant Agreement 687614, total procurement volume: >5M€
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4. HNSciCloud – Challenges
Compute
Mostly HTC, integrating some HPC requirements
Storage
Caching at provider’s site, if possible automatically (avoid managed storage)
Network
Connection via GÉANT
Support of identity federation (eduGAIN) for IT managers
Procurement
Match of cloud providers’ business model with public procurement rules
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5. HNSciCloud – Current Status
Official start of project: Jan 2016, duration: 30 months
Tender announced in Jan 2016
17-Mar-2016: Open market consultation
21-Jul-2016: Tender issued (> 200 downloads, > 70 requests for clarification)
07-Sep-2016: Tender information day – design phase
19-Sep-2016: Deadline for tender replies
Sufficient number of valid tenders received
Evaluation by administrative and technical experts
07-Oct-2016: Award decision, contracts
Consortia led by T-Systems; IBM; RHEA; INDRA
02-Nov-2016: Kick-off meeting with Phase 1 contractors
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6. HNSciCloud – Contacts
Interested?
See http://www.hnscicloud.eu/
Subscribe to hnscicloud-
announce@cern.ch
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