Piloting Services

For groups and organizations interested in prototyping tools and capabilities that help build out the NDS framework and its services, we make available a variety of resources including cloud compute, storage, and software development support from contributing members. Access to these resources requires completion and approval of a pilot project application .

NDS Labs Workbench Public Beta

Just getting started? make sure to check out the Labs Workbench public beta to explore a variety of data management, visualization, and analysis tools from the NDSC community.

NDS Labs OpenStack Resource Allocations

Leveraging resources such as SDSC Cloud , TACC Rodeo , and NCSA Nebula we provide an environment where developers can prototype tools and capabilities that help build out a NDS framework and its services. Users of this environment have access to significant storage, machines that can run services, and a variety of useful data management and manipulation tools (e.g. databases, storage management systems, repository applications, etc.). Provided allocations enable a developer or small team of developers to explore an innovative idea, prototype a service, or connect existing applications as part of building an NDS ecosystem.

What do you get?

• Hosting of services
• Access to elastic computational resources (Virtual Machines)
• Access to storage

How to Request Allocations

You can obtain an NDS Labs resource allocation by completing an application for a pilot project with the NDSC, which unlocks a premium account. A successful pilot project should develop/deploy:

• A tool for discovering data across multiple communities or data systems
• A data publishing tool or example that demonstrates a widely applicable feature that makes the underlying data either easier to publish or easier to re-use
• A new service or tool that makes it easier to re-use data in a repository
• A demonstration of connecting together multiple data systems to provide an important, higher-level functionality
• A demonstration of prototype "standard" that allows systems to interoperate
• A demonstration of an RDA deliverable

NDS Labs Collaborative Support

Leveraging Research Software Engineers at NCSA , SDSC , Argonne National Lab , and the University of Notre Dame the NDSC provides collaborative support for software development activities that further the NDS mission. Collaborative support staff work on data cyberinfrastructure efforts spanning NSF , NIH , NIST , DOE , etc. and bring this experience and knowledge of data technologies to the development activities within the pilot efforts supported.

What do you get?

• One to three months of software development/user support
• Opportunities to directly interact with other data cyberinfrastructure efforts through a shared staff

How to Request Collaborative Support

You can obtain collaborative support in the same manner as that of requesting an OpenStack allocation, by completing an application for a pilot project with the NDSC and request collaborative support.