Architecture overview

Building Europe’s Marine Data Ecosystem

The Blue-Cloud architecture is the technological foundation of the EOSC Node | Digital Twin of the Ocean. It connects researchers, data providers, and digital infrastructures through a federated, open, and secure environment, enabling access to multidisciplinary marine data, computing resources, and analytical tools.

This architecture ensures that ocean data and services are FAIR – Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable – and ready to support the EU Digital Twin of the Ocean programme, ultimately contributing to the objectives of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, and of the UN Ocean Decade.

A Federated and Sustainable Infrastructure

The Blue-Cloud architecture is built on the D4Science e-infrastructure, managed by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). This cloud-based backbone provides all essential digital services — from storage and computation to identity management and interoperability — with 99.8% uptime and proven scalability.

Blue-Cloud’s federated approach means that while each participating data centre, service provider or infrastructure maintains autonomy, all share common standards and policies which are aligned with the EOSC Federation Handbook. This ensures seamless data exchange and integration with other European and international research environments.

Three Layers of Capabilities

The Blue-Cloud architecture is designed around three complementary layers: Core, Generic, and Exchange capabilities. They work together to deliver a coherent ecosystem for marine science.

Interoperability by Design

Interoperability is the guiding principle of the Blue-Cloud architecture. The system adheres to the EOSC Interoperability Framework, supporting standard data formats, common metadata profiles, and controlled vocabularies. It uses protocols such as OAI-PMH and OGC standards for data and service exchange, ensuring compatibility across the EOSC Federation.

Moreover, the architecture supports semantic interoperability through the use of ontologies and vocabularies relevant to marine science, allowing machines and humans to “speak the same language.” Through these mechanisms, Blue-Cloud not only connects infrastructures but also ensures that data can be discovered, understood, and reused effectively across disciplines.

Secure, Accountable, and FAIR

Security and accountability are built into the architecture. All services comply with GDPR and EOSC’s cybersecurity best practices. Service usage, performance, and availability are continuously monitored, while accounting systems track resource consumption transparently. The single sign-on AAI ensures that access is both simple for users and compliant with European data protection laws.

By embedding FAIR data principles in every layer — from data collection to discovery — Blue-Cloud promotes openness while protecting sensitive information.

Enabling the Future of Digital Ocean Science

The Blue-Cloud architecture is more than a technological framework — it’s a living ecosystem that evolves with Europe’s marine and climate research community. By connecting infrastructures, tools, and people, it fosters innovation and ensures that scientific data contributes directly to policy, industry, and education.

As candidate EOSC Node | Digital Twin of the Ocean for the EOSC Federation and the Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO) initiative, Blue-Cloud’s federated model will continue to expand, integrating new partners, data streams, and Virtual Labs to turn marine data into shared knowledge, enabling a more sustainable, transparent, and collaborative ocean science landscape.