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Researchers, start your collaboration engines

QCIF secures major NeCTAR funding for Qld cloud computing

Computing and computer power has long been an important part of an Australian researcher’s way of working.

In this era of digital connectivity, NeCTAR (National eResearch Tools and Resources) is combining an exciting mix of ideas and technologies to create new ways for Australian researchers to connect, work and collaborate on a national and international scale. Some aspects of the NeCTAR project are Australian firsts. NeCTAR is creating new infrastructure for Australian researchers, building:

•    New Virtual Laboratories;
•    A National Research Cloud;
•    New eResearch Tools; and,
•    A secure and robust national hosting service for researchers.

NeCTAR is located at the University of Melbourne, who have been appointed the lead agent by the Australian Government. NeCTAR is conducted as part of the Super Science initiative and is financed by the Education Investment Fund.

The Australian research community was invited in September 2011 to submit project proposals to build the first stage of NeCTAR. More than 80 project proposals were received from a diverse mix of research disciplines, demonstrating the Australian research community is alive and well with many bright ideas and initiatives.

The NeCTAR Project Board and NeCTAR Expert Panels, nominated by the Australian research community, recommended one third of these proposals, worth $23 million, for funding by NeCTAR. NeCTAR is currently negotiating to finalise agreement between the University of Melbourne and the recommended projects.

NeCTAR Director, Associate Professor Glenn Moloney, said it was an exciting time to be an Australian researcher. He said NeCTAR was combining technologies to create new ways to work for Australian researchers and new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

“NeCTAR is partnering with Australian researchers and technical partners to create infrastructure especially for their needs. NeCTAR is bringing together an exciting mix of ideas and technologies to advantage Australian research. For example, NeCTAR’s research cloud is an Australian first and a place where researchers can gain instant access to computer power and research applications, empowering them to share knowledge across research infrastructure and institutions. NeCTAR’s virtual laboratories will provide a new place to streamline research workflows, supporting the “connected researcher” who at the desktop or benchtop has access to digitally enabled data, analytic and modeling resources, specifically relevant to their research.”

NeCTAR has four program areas as mentioned above:

*NeCTAR’s Virtual Laboratories will provide a new place to access data repositories and computational tools, collaborate easily, streamline research workflows and enable new opportunities for research innovation.

*NeCTAR’s Research Cloud is an Australian first and a place where researchers can gain instant access to scalable computational power, research applications and storage, empowering them to share knowledge across research infrastructure and institutions. The University of Melbourne, is building the first node of this Research Cloud and aims to launch it on January 31, 2012.

*NeCTAR’s eResearch tools extend and enhance existing research tools and applications to make them more collaborative, accessible and to support research workflows. eResearch Tools projects are encouraged to deploy their applications on the NeCTAR Research Cloud to achieve wide access and scalability.

*The National Servers Program provides a robust hosting service for applications and services supporting the Australian research community on a national scale. Similar to any 'hosting provider', the first node (two data centres) are now built and housed at the University of Melbourne. It is available to be used now, for more information, see website. Uniquely Australian, the NSP provides a robust national network of virtual servers and platforms.

NeCTAR is a $47 million dollar, Australian Government project, conducted as part of the Super Science initiative and financed by the Education Investment Fund. The University of Melbourne is the lead agent, chosen by the Commonwealth Government.