The aim of this implementation study is to provide a stable infrastructure for unifying software containers solutions within ELIXIR. This infrastructure will provide an access point for end-users to find, generate, store, monitor, and even benchmark software containers solutions. Hardware infrastructure will be provided by an ELIXIR Node from the ELIXIR Compute Platform for software containers deployment while ELIXIR-ES will provide the backup system using EUDAT protocols and infrastructures. In the long-term this registry could become a relying service to the ELIXIR AAI allowing infrastructures to manage users accounts.
The impact of this infrastructure will be demonstrated across ELIXIR Platforms and Use Cases. Software containers are a key technology which enables the rapid deployment of software resources including workflows across a variety of systems e.g. HPC, Cloud environments, and local computers; and the connection with existing database repositories. Additionally, this technology will be used to support training activities carried out by ELIXIR, where trainers will be able to focus on the training content rather than in the technological framework of the training, during face to face or remote sessions. Such a leading role on the development of this infrastructure will greatly increase ELIXIR's visibility across many domains of life sciences and even beyond. The coordinated effort to develop this infrastructure is similar to previous efforts carried out in ELIXIR, such as the Beacon Project and Bioschemas and will also link into work taking place in the ELIXIR Compute and Interoperability Platforms in coordination with the GA4GH.