Developing cloud computing to support data intensive biology
University of Warwick, 4-5 June 2015
Prepared by: Dr M Rivers, Prof P Kille & Prof T Meagher
Cloud computing holds great promise for the future of Big Data analysis. This is particularly true for data intensive areas such as environmental omics, where large datasets are likely to reside in centralised storage facilities, such as Jasmin, EBI, or ELIXIR. Cloud-based computing allows users to analyse such data on HPC systems by creating ‘instance-based’ computer images that can be ported directly to the computer system where such data resides. Thus, users can access big data and analyse it using the full power of remote HPC facilities while at the same time using a familiar interface with customised software. Thus, cloud-based computing has the potential to combine accessible and customised interfaces with the full computational power and storage capacity of state-of-the-art HPC systems.
This workshop will explore the current state of cloud-based computing facility and what steps are needed to bring the full power of cloud-based computing to the wider scientific community, including environmental omics.
Objectives:
- Technical Issues: Outline the current state of cloud-computing technology and explore technical issues to be met for full implementation
- Community usage and building: Identify relevant scientific communities and how challenges faced by those communities could be met through cloud-based computing
- The future of a ‘mobile’ Cloud: Explore options and opportunities for future development and implementation of cloud-based computing in environmental biology
Workshop outline
Day 1 – start at 10:45 (coffee from 9:30)
10:45-11:15 – Introduction, Pete Kille & Tom Meagher
11:15-11:30 – Break
11:30-13:00 – Plenary talks re Technical Issues
Microbial Bioinformatics in the cloud – Thomas Connor
The EOS Data Cloud: Principles and Progress – Tim Booth
13:00-13:30 – Lunch
13:30-14:00 – Plenary talks re Technical Issues
Three data delivery cases for EMBL – EBI Embassy Cloud – Guy Cochrane & Steven Newhouse
14:30-15:30 – Technical Issues structured breakout discussion
15:30-16:00 – Break
16:00-17:00 – Plenary talks re Community usage and building
Why Cloud? Earth Systems Science Perspective – Bryan Lawrence
Community demands for cloud computing & challenges: Environmental genomic community – Richard Nichols & Yannick Wurm
Title – Nick Loman – Birmingham
17:00-17:30 – Wrap-up
19:00-21:00 – Dinner
Day 2 – start at 9:00 (coffee from 8:30)
09:00-09:30 – Recap, breakout reports from day before
09:30-10:30 – Plenary talks re The future of a ‘mobile’ Cloud
Mobile cloud – David Wallom
10:30-11:00 – Break
11:00-12:00 – Community usage and building structured breakout discussion
12:00-12:30 – Breakout reports
12:30-13:15 – Discussion on Future of a mobile Cloud, next steps
13:15-14:00 – Lunch and departure
Participants:
Name | Affiliation |
Marius Bakke | CLIMB Warwick |
Michael Ball | BBSRC |
Charles Ballard | STFC |
Hugh Beedie | Cardiff University |
Tim Booth | NERC EOScloud |
Guy Cochrane | EBI |
Thomas Connor | CLIMB Cardiff |
Manuel Corpas | Elixir |
Philip Kershaw | STFC |
Peter Kille | STFC/NERC Network |
Bryan Lawrence | STFC & U of Reading |
Nick Loman | CLIMB Birmingham |
Thomas Meagher | STFC/NERC Network |
Kevin Munn | Cardiff University |
Steven Newhouse | EBI/Elixir |
Richard Nichols | QMUL |
Aleksandra Pawlik | University of Manchester |
Malin Rivers | STFC/NERC Network |
Kevin Smith | STFC |
Simon Thompson | CLIMB Birmingham |
Mark Thorley | NERC |
Ville Uski | STFC |
David Wallom | NERC EOScloud |
Steven White | CEH |
Martyn Winn | STFC |
Yannick Wurm | QMUL |