QCloud

QCIF and its participants are establishing a Queensland NeCTAR Research Cloud Node (QCloud) with its main data centre located at UQ’s St Lucia campus.

The NeCTAR component of QCloud will become a national centre for new information-centric research capabilities. It will significantly simplify the combining of data, computing, and analysis applications, and enable the development of research workflows based on access to multiple resources. The research cloud will provide an open, robust and scalable platform for researchers to deploy, share and manage their research applications.  Building from current data-intensive computing for genomics, and for the ecology research and characterisation communities, QCloud will support NeCTAR Virtual Laboratories and Research Tools in these areas.  It will extend the application of its expertise to other fields to develop and support cross-institution and cross-disciplinary collaboration, providing access to applications and facilities for data-intensive “connected researchers” in a broad range of disciplines.

QCloud also incorporates the Queensland RDSI node, and as such will be an integral part of nationwide research infrastructure, leveraging data collections stored in the local and national RDSI nodes, and integrating with access to Queensland-based HPC facilities and specialised cloud data services.  It will support federation with commercial, and national and international research compute clouds. QCIF will manage the node to ensure it is sustainable well beyond the life of the initial NeCTAR project.

Media Centre

Services

QCIF offers a range of eResearch services to help researchers tackle real-world challenges

Video Collaboration

• EVO is a free, fully supported desktop video collaboration tool. Set up an account easily, share files and text and face-to-face communication in real time.
  
             >Launch EVO                      >Read more on EVO
  
• AccessGrid is a room based group-to-group video collaboration tool. Access Grid video conference rooms are located at most Australian universities and are free for research use. Read more

Data Services

ARCS Data Fabric – Australia's national system for storing research data
ARCS Database Service – Provides database hosting for collaborative research efforts
ARCS Data Transfer Service – Custom-tailored solutions for transferring research data

          >Read more about our Data Services

High Performance Computing

QCIF operates high performance computers across the major Queensland universities available to researchers upon obtaining an account.

           >Get an account on Barrine, the UQ facility          >More on HPC, and other facilities in Qld

ReDBox

QCIF develops and maintains the ReDBox open source project, and provides technical support and services for the software on a commercial basis.

          >More about ReDBox services

QCloud

An open, robust and scalable platform for researchers to deploy, share and manage research applications.

          >Get Started                   >Read more about the QCloud

QERN

QERN (the QCIF Early Research Node) is being built by QCIF to enable the Queensland research community and QCIF member universities to gain experience in using and managing Research Cloud services (NeCTAR), and RDSI services, before the official release of these services.

          >Read more               

About Us

QCIF (the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation) provides the high-performance services, infrastructure and support required to achieve excellence in computation and data-driven collaborative research and its application in industry. QCIF operates with its members and partners delivering services to research throughout Queensland and increasingly via Commonwealth programs to the nation.

Our mission is to accelerate and strengthen innovation throughout Queensland research and business through broad-based and effective application of high performance computing, large-scale data management and regional, national and international collaboration.

QCIF is a not-for-profit public company limited-by-guarantee. It was established in 2000 under the name QPSF (Queensland Parallel Supercomputing Foundation) and changed its name to QCIF in 2006. Its members are six Queensland universities – The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, James Cook University, CQUniversity, and the University of Southern Queensland. The University of the Sunshine Coast is an associate member.

QCIF is funded through its members, triennial grants from the Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) and project-based funding from the Commonwealth Government. QCIF is an active participant in the high performance research infrastructure initiatives funded by the Commonwealth Government. It was a founding member of the ARCS project, is a member of the AAF and NCI projects and works closely with the RDSI and NeCTAR projects (see elsewhere on this website for further details)

Together with its members, QCIF co-funds a statewide network of high-performance infrastructure, and a team of member employees providing support and development services, for the benefit of researchers and businesses throughout Queensland. It provides and promotes eResearch services by:

• Stimulating the application of the high-performance infrastructure
• Offering cloud and video-collaboration services to encourage collaboration between researchers and research communities
• Co-developing software tools with users to facilitate computation, modelling, analysis and data management
• Providing support, training, and expertise in the use of the infrastructure and services
• Facilitating funding from the Commonwealth eResearch organisations for research infrastructure development projects located in Queensland
• Engaging industry with research communities to foster industry-oriented research and development projects (for both small-to-medium enterprises and large strategic industry opportunities) through an Industry Innovation program

QCIF is strategically positioned in a fast-moving, rapidly evolving field that will have major impacts on the excellence of future research and on the strength of the economy of Queensland.

Management Team

QCIF is managed by an experienced team:

Denise Leutenegger
Executive Assistant
Phone: +61 7 3365 7354
Fax: +61 7 3365 6136

 Board of Directors

	Mr David Gray Chairman Appointed as QCIF’s Chairman in 2008, David is also Chairman of the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network, and Chairman of the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation. He is a Director of the Brisbane Airport Corporation, and a member of the SMART advisory council. A former Managing Director of Boeing Australia, David has held senior executive positions with GEC Heavy Engineering, Exicom and GEC Marconi. David currently holds a number of board and advisory board positions, both in industry and academia, and was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for his services to Australian aviation.
	Mr Andrew Skewes Independent Director Andrew Skewes has over 15 years senior executive experience in State and Commonwealth public sectors, and higher education. In addition to his role with QCIF, Andrew is a Director of Coliban Water Corporation, Principal of Canvass Consulting, and Executive Director of La Trobe University Bendigo. He was a Director of the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing for over six years in the early-to-mid 2000s.
	Professor Alan Lawson Board member: The University of Queensland Professor Lawson is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at University of Queensland. He was previously Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and International), Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training), and Dean of the UQ Graduate School. Prior to that, he was a Reader in the Department of English (1975-98) in which he served as Postgraduate Coordinator from 1994-1997, and took a keen interest in graduate student issues since becoming a member of the University's Postgraduate Studies Committee in 1987. His recent research interest in the analysis of national higher education funding policy grows out of his earlier work on cultural policy and discourse analysis.
	Professor Tom Cochrane Board member: The Queensland University of Technology Professor Tom Cochrane is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support) at The Queensland University of Technology. The position heads a Division (approximately 500 staff) which combines the services of the Libraries, Information Technology Services, Learning Environments and Technology Services, eLearning Services, and a number of other areas in the one structure. One of his roles in the University Executive is the chairing of QUT’s Information Technology Governance Committee.
	Ms Linda O'Brien Board member: Griffith University Linda O'Brien is Pro Vice Chancellor (Information Services) at Griffith University. Prior to this 2008 appointment, she was Vice Principal (Information) at the University of Melbourne. Linda has substantial experience in leading the development of university information strategy and in the delivery of information services to support research, teaching and learning and administrative practice. Ms O’Brien’s external duties have included directorship of a number of boards, including the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing and CAVAL.
	Professor Jeff Loughran Board member: James Cook University Professor Jeff Loughran is Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at JCU. He sits on the Board of the Australian Tropical Herbarium, Tropical Landscape Joint Ventures and Rockfield Technologies Australia Pty Ltd. Previous posts have included Uninet Ltd. Professor Loughran is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia. Over the course of his career Professor Loughran has published over 140 articles, refereed journal, conference and consulting reports to industry.
	Professor Chad Hewitt Board member: CQUniversity Professor Hewitt is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Head of Campus, Gladstone. The position is responsible for the University's research and research training objectives. Professor Hewitt provides leadership and advice to the Vice Chancellor and President, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & Research) on strategies for CQUniversity to further enhance its current research strengths as well to identify and develop new areas of expertise of relevance to its community, government and industry partners and stakeholders.
	Professor Mark Harvey Board member: The University of Southern Queensland Professor Harvey is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation). He has 20 years' experience in research and the management of research and commercialisation of innovations arising from universities. Prior to joining USQ, Professor Harvey spent seven years in venture capital. Most recently he was a Partner with CM Capital Investments, one of Australia’s leading venture capital companies, and prior to this as the Chief Executive Officer of an early stage investment and development company.