Commissioned Services: Technology Tier

The ambitions for the Technology tier of the Commissioned Services are:

ELIXIR Infrastructure Services (24-TECH-Infraserv)

Start date: 1 April 2024
Duration: 33 months

Abstract 

Through the previous ELIXIR Scientific Programme, a portfolio of key Infrastructure Services has been developed, on which a range of ELIXIR activities depend - the ELIXIR Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructure (AAI), Training e-Support System (TeSS), Beacon Network, and Research Software Ecosystem. This project will provide a new model of core operational, maintenance and governance funding for these services intended to complement feature development funding from other sources. This approach will be combined with active evaluation of the impact and value for money, develop a protocol for managing the portfolio of Infrastructure Services and their selection, and make recommendations for future continuation or modification of the funding model.

• WP1 – To establish a cross-Platform Committee to oversee the portfolio and consider Service development, Governance, Funding, Impact and other aspects. 
• WP2 – To establish a cross-Platform Committee to oversee the portfolio and consider Service development, Governance, Funding, Impact and other aspects. Maintain AAI as an operational Service (LS-Login) with a responsive governance structure and developments to meet user requirements.
• WP3 – Maintain TeSS as an operational Service with a responsive governance structure and an approach to Change Management for further development.
• WP4–5 – To consider additional Infrastructure Services, in particular Beacon Network and Research Software Ecosystem.

ELIXIR Compute Platform (2024-TECH-Compute)

Start date: 1 January 2024
Duration: 36 months

Abstract 

The ELIXIR Compute Platform ensures that European cloud, compute, storage and access services fulfil the requirements and are available for the life-science research community. European regulation on health data processing is evolving, computing capacity in national clouds is increasing and international standards are improving interoperability between the compute environments.

Such capabilities are also increasingly important to service the growing volumes of biodiversity, food security and pathogen data which comprise complex data types and must be linked to climate data resources. Also, supercomputer investments – especially EuroHPC – provide completely new kinds of computing capacities for researchers across these domains.

All this shapes the landscape of European compute resources. Especially, computing on sensitive data near the data resources is becoming obligatory but the same is true for non-sensitive data e.g. plant phenotyping data and associated imaging data. In 2024-26, the Platform will build technological capability to enable compute in new European-wide federated and multi-cloud settings by building on existing development and utilising previous work, especially Life Science Login. Beyond this, the platform actively seeks sustainable ways to operate the developed services for European researchers.

The Platform will deliver the services to support federated data management and analytics in life science through four complementary WPs:

• WP2 – Advanced Service Access Control
• WP3 – Protected Access to Sensitive Data for Analysis
• WP4 – Multi Cloud Infrastructure Deployment
• WP5 – Sustainability, Accounting and Provenance for Federated Analytics

ELIXIR Data Platform (2024-TECHNOLOGY-Data)

Start date: 1 January 2024
Duration: 36 months

Abstract 

The ELIXIR Data Platform has successfully established a robust community interested in various aspects of life science data, and defined sustainable Core Data Resources (CDRs) of exceptional quality. The Platform is now concentrating on developing and improving methods for brokering data contributions, promoting innovative credit attribution systems, and enhancing and automating data curation practices for FAIRification of existing data.

It seeks to expand its work on sustainability to more diverse biological databases and to create a diverse ecosystem of Node Data Resources, fostering collaborations through its extensive ELIXIR member network, while aligning efforts globally and ensuring impactful contributions to European research innovation.

ELIXIR Interoperability Platform (2024-TECHNOLOGY-Interoperability)

Start date: 1 January 2024
Duration: 36 months

Abstract 

The Interoperability Platform's mission has evolved beyond technical and semantic interoperability, responding to changing needs and life sciences standards. It has already created an ecosystem uniting expertise and information.

Aligned with ELIXIR's priorities, it introduced peer-reviewed Recommended Interoperability Resources, established the ELIXIR Knowledge Hub, and fostered recognition of Research Data Management (RDM). Now it is transitioning to a sustainable framework for enabling real-world data integration and reuse by promoting and supporting interoperability, data management and FAIR principles.

The strategy centres on "The 3 Ps": Products, Processes and Practices.

• Products entail mapping and coordinating FAIR resources, minimising duplication, and enhancing user experience.
• Processes align products with user needs, ELIXIR Nodes, and global partners.
• Practices convert insights into actionable guidance, empowering users through the connection and use of diverse resources.

These initiatives reinforce the Platform's dedication to interoperability, data stewardship and efficient resource utilisation. Aligned with Open Science and FAIR principles, they cement the role of ELIXIR in the EOSC ecosystem.

ELIXIR Tools Platform (2024-TECHNOLOGY-Tools)

Start date: 1 January 2024
Duration: 36 months

Abstract 

The Tools Platform provides services that enable findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of computational tools: including research software, workflows, remote digital services and trained machine-learning models.

These services aim at being optimised for the needs of molecular life sciences, while at the same time suit a broad range of interdisciplinary applications and scientific communities, including EOSC. The overall goal of the Tools Platform is to sustain the required services and expand them to fulfil the needs of the ELIXIR Programme 2024–2028.

The ELIXIR Tools Platform aims to achieve the following:

• Allow researchers (end-users) to find well-described and fit-for-purpose research software, providing alternatives when available, that can be used in heterogeneous computational setups from a laptop to a cloud installation to an HPC centre.
• Serve as reference point for individual research software engineers on how to develop better, more sustainable, and recognisable software by providing best practices and services supporting such endeavour.
• Provide scientific-communities with a reference place for tackling common challenges deriving their own best practices for software development.

The Platform will deliver this work through four work packages:

• WP2 – The ELIXIR Research Software Ecosystem
• WP3 – Software Management, Stewardship and Standards
• WP4 – Improving Software Quality for reproducible and distributed analysis
• WP5 – Democratised access to reusable complex workflows

ELIXIR Training Platform (2024-TECHNOLOGY-Training)

Start date: 1 January 2024
Duration: 36 months

Abstract 

The ELIXIR Training Platform (TrP) is building a network of training resources and services, aiming for collaboration, visibility, and standardisation. SPLASH, a digital hub, showcases core services like TeSS, enhancing the training life cycle. Work Packages focus on infrastructure, guidelines, and Train-the-Trainer resources. Collaboration across ELIXIR entities is essential, as are standardised guidelines and a supportive community for knowledge sharing. The project's success will transform training delivery within the community.