Blue-Cloud 2026 - D2.1 Existing DD&AS and Blue Data Infrastructures – Review and Specifications for Optimisation Report

The Blue Cloud Data Discovery and Access Service (DD&AS) is one of the components of the Blue-Cloud technical framework. It serves federated discovery and access to Blue Data Infrastructures (BDIs) for external users and also interacts with the Blue-Cloud Virtual Research Environment (the component federating computing platforms and analytical services) for populating the VRE data pool. Within the framework of the H2020 pilot Blue-Cloud project, the first operational release of the Blue-Cloud DD&AS was deployed. This service is federating in total 8 BDIs and with 9 data services. The implementation of the Blue Cloud DD&AS largely depends on machine-to-machine interactions between central components of the DD&AS and web services / APIs as managed and operated by the BDIs. In practice, the development has been quite challenging as each of the BDIs is offering web services for discovery and access which are different in functionality and not always straightforward. In the Blue- Cloud 2026 project it is strived for further optimisation of the DD&AS, in particular, where possible, by improving the FAIRness of the services and contents as provided by the federated BDIs. In addition, it is explored how the overall functionality of the DD&AS might be expanded. In this Deliverable, first of all, an overview is given of the current architecture and functionality of the Blue-Cloud DD&AS to provide good insight in the DD&AS conceptual principles. Then per BDI an overview is given of their current federation, followed by an assessment of possible improvements, which should be undertaken by and/or with each BDI. These analyses and assessment have been made via a continuous dialogue between MARIS and CNR-IIA as core DD&AS developers with each of the BDIs and associated technical providers. This started at the Project Kick-Off meeting, 13–15 February 2023 in Pisa – Italy, during a dedicated WP2 session, and the first Technical and Scientific Committee (TSC) meeting, organised on 28-29 March 2023 in Amsterdam – Netherlands. At these meetings the common principles for optimisation of the DD&AS were discussed and agreed. Since then, the core developers have been reviewing the current deployments, supported by email exchanges with BDIs, where needed. This has been followed by bilateral web conferences with managers of each of the BDIs between August and October 2023 to discuss findings and ideas. Finally, this has resulted in a series of proposed improvements for each of the BDIs and the central DD&AS core service. These will be worked out and taken into development in the coming period as part of WP2 activities.