Developing cloud computing to support data intensive biology

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: