News

OpenCloudMesh Project Connects Private Research Clouds To Facilitate Collaboration

• By Leila Meyer
• 01/28/15

ownCloud has initiated a project that connects private research clouds to facilitate collaboration, communication and testing, while maintaining the security of those private clouds.

The project, called OpenCloudMesh, is a globally interconnected mesh of research clouds that is built on ownCloud's open Server-to-Server Sharing application programming interface (API), according to the company. Universities and research organizations participating in the OpenCloudMesh project can use the network to access files within their own organization or those shared by other participating organizations. The files can be shared on internal servers; on object storage; in applications like SharePoint or Jive; in other ownClouds; or in external cloud systems such as Dropbox and Google.

"OpenCloudMesh gives each organization private cloud file sync and share, while Server-to-Server Sharing enables safe sharing between those clouds," said Frank Karlitschek, CTO and co-founder of ownCloud, in a prepared statement.

ownCloud will publish the first draft of the OpenCloudMesh API specification early in 2015. "This open API ensures secure yet transparent connections between remote on-premises cloud installations," stated a news release from the company.

Universities and research organizations that have already signed up to participate in OpenCloudMesh include:

• AARNet;
• CERN;
• DESY Research;
• ERCIS (European Research Center for Information Systems);
• ETH Zürich;
• Garching Computing Centre of the Max-Planck-Society;
• GÉANT Association;
• Sciebo;
• SURF;
• SWITCH;
• TU Berlin;
• University of Florida;
• University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Education; and
• University of Vienna.

OpenCloudMesh is a joint international initiative under the umbrella of the GÉANT Association, a pan-European research and education network.

ownCloud invites all universities and research organizations to participate in developing and refining the OpenCloudMesh API. Further information was not available at press time.

Editor's note: This article has been modified since its original publication to update the list of participating institutions. (Jan. 30, 2015, 11:42 a.m.) — D.N.