Road testing a Research Data Reference Architecture
There is little doubt that we have entered an era where data underpins modern science and research in general. In support of this, numerous infrastructures have been designed and built, ranging from proprietary on-prem systems through to distributed commercial clouds. Such implementations provide a range of functions during the research lifecycle from provisioning and cataloguing data assets through to storing and presenting data to computing platforms.
AeRO is working to improve our understanding of the underlying principles of such systems. We have developed a draft high-level Research Data Reference Architecture (RDRA). We have identified eight key features of a RDRA, developed a capability model that allows varying degrees of control and have documented the key building blocks of a prototypical architecture. This RDRA is intended to guide the design, construction, and procurement of implementations without mandating any approach, technical solution, or product choice. As a result, it allows implementers to make local and commercial decisions while still meeting the core requirements of a research data management platform.
In this forum, we invite attendees to test this draft by measuring real world research data implementations against the RDRA. The outcome will be a series of documents that measure conformance to the RDRA, and may also highlight shortcoming of the RDRA itself. The intended audience is teams charged with implementing infrastructure in research organizations and vendors offering solutions.
