Setting
Initiated in 2018 by the Helmholtz Incubator Information & Data Science as one of five platforms, the HIFIS platform will build a secure and easy-to-use collaborative environment with performant IT services that are connected seamlessly and efficiently accessible from anywhere. HIFIS aims to ensure an excellent information environment for outstanding research in all Helmholtz research fields by connecting knowledge from all centres. HIFIS also works on support for the development of research software with a high level of quality, visibility, and sustainability.
To this end, HIFIS operates three Competence Clusters, each of which involving different Helmholtz research centres:
The Cloud Services Cluster aims to provide a federated cloud platform with services for the whole scientific community and its partners that can be used on a broad level, regardless of specific research topics, data types, applications, and so on. Focus is to identify and link already existing and highly demanded cloud services that are provided by the involved HGF centres in the first place, but as well by other institutes or even commercial companies. The cluster will define and build a common meta-level abstraction layer in allow users to access the provided services in an easy, harmonized, and integrated way. The initial service portfolio will be gradually expanded in the future, according to the users’ needs. In this way, the cluster will support not only a few selected large-scale projects, but the long tail of science instead.
The Backbone Services Cluster will set up and provide a stable network infrastructure and jointly usable core services to meet the increasing demand for interconnection of research and the increasing volume of data in the Helmholtz Association. This will enable users and groups to access and use collaboratively the services supplied within the Cloud Services Cluster. Based on existing physical networks already connecting the individual Helmholtz centres, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) inspired by CERN’s LHCONE will be installed to ensure the provision of high bandwidths, increase the levels of mutual trust and overall security, and deliver a guaranteed level of service quality. The network will provide the central basic services necessary for collaborative work, including, above all, a uniform Identity & Access Management (IAM).
The Software Services Cluster considers software an essential basis for the modern research process. Software lays the foundation for the long-term, stable operation of research infrastructures, and at the same time represents a major driver of innovation and contributes significantly to the acquisition of knowledge and the creation of value. Finally, software itself is an important result of the research process. The cluster will support the Helmholtz centres in the sustainable use of research software through practical offerings and services. Specifically, it will train and support researchers to enable them to develop and publish software of high quality that can be sustainably maintained and used. In addition, the re-use of existing software by researchers is promoted by providing tools for finding and using suitable software solutions, by providing contact persons and experts, and by providing support in building communities for specific research software.
Quite obviously, HIFIS is closely related to HDF. However, instead of building infrastructures which is the primary focus of HDF, HIFIS concentrates on harmonized usage scenarios and concepts that help to ensure a sustainable collaborative research environment in the long run.