The Chinese Academy of Sciences launched the 2.0 version of a scientific cloud platform on December 26, 2019, to provide scientists with efficient and integrated cloud solutions in the retrieval, access, use, transaction, delivery and other aspects of sharing scientific information and relevant services.

The China Science and Technology Cloud, or CSTCloud, draws information resources from the academy's research institutes and major scientific installations, as well as some top universities and private innovation centers in China. Like its initial platform that was introduced in May 2018, it was constructed and operated by the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The platform's 2.0 version could provide over 400 software programs to run online, which only supported 20 in its previous version. The volume of cloud storage increased from 22 PB to 150 PB, which gives more space for storage, and computing power speed up to 315 PF from 21 PF.

Capacity of Resource and Services

Based on the above improvement, 2.0 version of CSTCloud can provide advanced cloud solutions with the following added features.

Principles for CSTCloud

1. Tailored services for scientists
We have entered an age in which scientific discoveries often require crunching a large amount of data supported by advanced computing power and research software. With a special attention to the core elements of scientific research and online behaviors of scientists, CSTCloud can provide efficient and integrated cloud computing solutions to support the storage, transmission, computing, analysis, and application of scientific data towards new discoveries.

Service Launch Process of CSTCloud

2. Openness and cooperation
Rooted in the advanced cyberinfrastructure and extensive information resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CSTCloud will be developed based on the concept of "openness and cooperation towards shared solutions and successes", which adopts a collaborative construction pattern to improve and integrate established cyberinfrastructure, information resources and services for supporting scientific activities.
3. Strong support towards new discoveries
The 2.0 version CSTCloud has integrated 315 PF computing resources, 150 PB storage resources, 52 comprehensive platforms and 409 research software to provide cloud services in nine aspects such as network, computing, data storage and data visualization. The portal of CSTCloud can support the registration, management and dynamic release of resource services, providing flexible and scalable solutions for registered user in energy science, marine science, life science, health science and other frontier and interdisciplinary research areas.

Software Stack and Services

4. Participation in multilateral endeavors
CSTCloud plans to develop partnerships and collaborative research plans with EGI Foundation and GéANT in Europe, the global research exchange center in the U.S., African Open Science Platform and other organizations which may share a common interest to provide cloud solutions for scientists from a global perspective.

Hybrid model of CSTCloud

5. Advanced demonstrations driven by key research initiatives
To better understand and solve the problems for the scientific community, CSTCloud spares no efforts to provide computing and data services for key research projects such as CASEarth, CAS Space Science Missions and research related with big facilities or stations such as the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope and Large High-Altitude Air Shower Observatory.